The offseason moves that should’ve created the most dominant interior DL in the league have all come to nothing, with the line being derailed by injuries brutally early.
Former Pro Bowler Malik Jackson was injured in the Redskins game and is out for the remainder of the season with a Lisfranc injury.
The following week in Atlanta, Jernigan broke his foot and although he is making good progress, he still is yet to practice.
In comes Hassan Ridgeway. A 4th round pick by Indianapolis Colts in 2016, Hasaan was traded to the Eagles for about the latest of 7th round picks (#246). The Eagles have already got more than they could’ve hoped for in any 7th round pick.
A force against the run
Hassan is built to smother double teams and that’s something he will do consistently for you, allowing the LBs to make plays by ensuring there’s no free-releasing OLs on them. But what has impressed me the most, is how Hassan is punishing solo blocks in the run game.
He will hit you with power, keep driving his feet, and crash the line, and drive to the ball carrier:
He does it again here, diagnosing the flow of the line, puts his shoulder in the guard’s chest with power, driving him back, and pushing into to the ballcarrier:
Where it gets really exciting, is when you see start seeing him make athletic bends subsequent to his power moves. For a 24-year-old DT that is just now getting significant playing time, this is very encouraging for his potential down the road:
Talent at pass rush?
It won’t stand out. He won’t ever get mentioned as the type of body or athlete you talk about when discussing great pass rushing DTs. But don’t get fooled, Ridgeway can get after the quarterback.
In 2017, Ridgeway had 3 sacks despite only starting a few games. With the Eagles, he has 1 sack, 2 QB hits, and 4 hurries, which is impressive considering he
1) hasn’t been a full-time starter
2) usually occupies double teams
3) isn’t exactly built for it.
In fact, already in week 1, I noticed his ability to drive guards back with power to collapse the pocket effectively:
For all the criticism Howie Roseman is getting right now, Hassan Ridgeway was a great additional piece to what should’ve been a dominant interior DL.
Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports
