Getty "Teams have been calling about" trading for a Washington Commanders' lineman.
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t’s not all about roster cuts for the Washington Commanders, who could trade some players on the bubble, including John Ridgeway III. “Teams have been calling about” the burly defensive tackle.
Interest in Ridgeway has been reported by ESPN’s John Keim. He named Ridgeway “another to watch” as a potential trade chip, while the Commanders are also attempting to deal tight end Cole Turner, per Nicki Jhabvala of The Washington Post.
Ridgeway is an interesting candidate for trade. Not least because he’s competing for a roster spot with a former second-round NFL draft pick the Commanders are expected to dump during cutdown day.
If that happens, Ridgeway would likely be safe as somebody able to provide depth behind interior tandem Jonathan Allen and Daron Payne. Ridgeway is also worthy of a place on the final 53-man roster because of his fit as a run-stuffer, a niche skill among this position group.
Ironically, a speciality against the run also makes Ridgeway somebody other teams might be willing to give up a draft pick to acquire.
John Ridgeway III Fills Need for Commanders
Ridgeway is the outlier among Washington’s defensive tackles. He won’t consistently split gaps, nor is he a dynamic pass-rusher.
What Ridgeway can do is push the pile, occupy double teams and clog rushing lanes. He combined two of those things to devastating effect for this impressive stop against the New England Patriots during the Commanders’ third exhibition game, highlighted by Bleacher Report’s Ryan Fowler.
Hell of a rep from John Ridgeway. Big boy football up front.
The Commanders need a beefy lineman who can underpin the run defense after they allowed 4.5 yards per carry last season. That number might not improve, even after Dan Quinn replaced Ron Rivera as head coach.
Quinn’s Dallas Cowboys defenses yielded 4.2 yards per rushing attempt in 2023. He and defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. prefer a lighter, quicker and more active line.
It’s a good formula for rushing the passer, but doesn’t create a wall against the run. Quinn mostly relied on one big body in Dallas, usually Johnathan Hankins, to anchor things on the ground.
Ridgeway doesn’t exactly fit this scheme, but the new coaches have been working hard to refine the 6-foot-5, 321-pounder’s game. A great example was captured by Jhabvala during training camp, showing defensive line coach Darryl Tapp and assistant Sharrif Floyd working closely with Ridgeway.
A teaching moment on the D-Line: In between these two reps from John Ridgeway, DL coach Darryl Tapp showed him a technique with his hand placement and asst. DL coach Sharrif Floyd adjusted his feet.
You see the difference immediately.
It would be a shame to waste this tutoring by releasing Ridgeway outright or even by getting modest draft compensation in return.
Commanders Need Solid Defensive Tackle Depth
Solid depth is a key for Quinn and Whitt Jr., who like to freely rotate D-linemen on and off the field in waves. Allen and Payne will get most of the work, but the Commanders need to sub them out without a significant drop in talent and disruption.
This year’s second-round pick Jer’Zhan ‘Johnny’ Newton will help when fully healthy. He’s a terrific athlete with a nuanced pass-rush plan, but Washington lacks other defensive tackles as versatile, even though former Alabama standout Phidarian Mathis still has a chance to survive cuts.
One reason why Mathis might beat out Ridegeway concerns the latter being “roughly a $1M cap hit per year the next 2 years,” according to Clint Goss of The Sporting News.
Ridgeway wont put heat on the pocket, but he can be an invaluable option in run-specific situations. So it makes more sense for the Commanders to retain the 25-year-old on the 53.
