Finding the right QB is the first — and most crucial — task for Washington’s new front office

A unified front office is essential for any football franchise, and the fact that Rivera has a connection with Hurney and Mayhew that he apparently didn’t have with the team’s former vice president of player personnel, Kyle Smith, at least ensures he will be surrounded by men he has chosen himself. But for all the talk of unity and cohesion and matching thought patterns, what was left largely unspoken by the three was the gravity of the one great pressing decision looming before them: the selection of the team’s next quarterback.

No matter how many trades, free agent signings or savvy draft picks the three make over the next few winters, their tenure here is almost certain to be judged by what they decide to do at quarterback this offseason. If they choose well, several seasons of winning are likely to follow, especially given the promise of a defense that Mayhew, the new general manager, described as “somewhere between good and great.” If they choose poorly, they might never recover. Nothing else they do in these next four months will matter as much.

The fact they made a serious attempt at trading for Matthew Stafford says everything about the urgency Rivera, Hurney and Mayhew feel to find their quarterback for the next several years. Still, when pressed on details about the search, the three were vague, offering flat, noncommittal answers that made it appear they really don’t have a plan for solving their quarterback issue.

Obviously, there is a plan, even if it is one constructed in haste during Hurney and Mayhew’s first days on the job. The ambiguity in their answers was intentional and Rivera repeatedly ensured that they will explore “all options.”

“The biggest thing is that we got to make sure we find the right one,” Rivera said of the search for the next franchise quarterback. “That’s the key. Is it imperative to find him right now? No, not necessarily. We would love to. But as we go through this process, we’re going to exhaust all avenues. We’re going to take nice long looks at every option that we have out there that’s available to us and we’ll go with the one that we believe is best for us going forward.”

Almost to emphasize his point, Rivera said: “Are we in a hurry? No.”

And yet the window for finding that quarterback is between now and April’s draft. Even if Rivera, Hurney and Mayhew decide to go with a temporary starter, a bridge player such as Cam Newton or Tyrod Taylor, they may pick that quarterback’s successor in the draft — either maneuvering to grab a bright but raw prospect like North Dakota State’s Trey Lance in the first round or by gambling on a less-heralded player in a later round.

Whatever they decide, it must be clear by the end of this spring. Rivera can’t go through next season without an idea of who he will build around at quarterback. There’s no time to waste, not with a defense that is ready to win now and a team owner who has never been long on patience.

Everyone said the right thing Wednesday about not barreling into the offseason in a reckless pursuit to grab the biggest name available. Mayhew talked finding “somebody who fits what you do offensively,” and Hurney said he wanted “to be aggressive” but didn’t want to “mortgage the future.”

Perhaps that suggests the team will not make a legitimate run at Houston quarterback Deshaun Watson, who likely will cost several first-round picks, should the Texans decide to trade him. Still, Rivera, Hurney and Mayhew have to do something significant this winter. All of them know how vital it is to have a top quarterback, like Rivera and Hurney had with Newton in Carolina and Mayhew had with Stafford when he was the Lions’ general manager.

Complicating everything is the awkward decision that comes with Alex Smith, whose miraculous return after what was assumed to be a career-ending injury inspired the team and played a significant role in Washington’s late run to an NFC East title. Though Smith went 5-1 as a starter, the bone bruise that kept him from starting three of the year’s final four games gave everyone pause. And the way Rivera, Hurney and Mayhew dodged questions about Smith spoke volumes.

For months, Rivera has tried to tuck the franchise’s recent wretched past behind a curtain, urging everyone to look ahead at the new culture he’s building. Smith, despite his impressive comeback and undeniable leadership qualities, is a vestige of the previous regime. Rivera, Hurney and Mayhew will have to search elsewhere — and they will have to do it this winter.

It’s the most important decision they will make as one.