Washington Commanders canvassing the NFL to find a starting QB, GM Martin Mayhew says

Washington Commanders general manager Martin Mayhew on Wednesday acknowledged the obvious — the franchise is looking everywhere for a quarterback.

«We feel we have canvassed the league effectively,» Mayhew told reporters at the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis. «We've spoken to every club that has a quarterback who might be available.»

That means they've inquired about quarterbacks Russell Wilson and Aaron Rodgers, among others. Both likely remain longshots to be traded, which means Washington would have to move on to other options.

«Every time you hear something, you're checking into it,» Washington coach Ron Rivera told reporters Tuesday. «And so we've got to do our work. We've got to do our due diligence.»

Rivera said they had four options: trading for someone, signing a free agent, drafting someone or sticking with Taylor Heinicke.

Mayhew said that while they consider Heinicke to be «the ultimate competitor,» they're trying to upgrade. The franchise has started 32 quarterbacks since it last won the Super Bowl following the 1991 season; it has started eight in the past three seasons.

One source told ESPN that the Commanders had compiled an initial lengthy list of around 40 quarterbacks to at least discuss or investigate, including those in college.

Said Mayhew: «There aren't three dozen upgrades to what we have. There are numerous options available to us and we're trying to work through that now.»

The San Francisco 49ers have made it known that Jimmy Garoppolo is available in a trade. Washington also will strongly consider the free agent market, where they could sign Mitchell Trubisky or Teddy Bridgewater and possibly pair them with a second- or third-round quarterback.

«It is very challenging,» Rivera said of