Hassan Ridgeway Signs with 49ers

In with Haason and out with Hassan.

On the first day of the new league year, the Eagles officially confirmed the signing of edge rusher Haason Reddick and then reportedly "lost" their first unrestricted free agent when veteran defensive tackle Hassan Ridgeway signed a one-year deal with San Francisco.

Hassan Ridgeway signing with the #49ers on a one-year, $2.5-million deal with $1 million fully guaranteed, per source. Experienced, versatile DT will be key piece of San Francisco rotation, has six years in league after stints with Colts and Eagles.
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) March 16, 2022

Other than the similar first names, the incoming and outgoing are barely comparable for Philadelphia with Reddick coming in as a big-money, projected difference-maker as a hybrid SAM/edge who has recorded 23.5 sacks over his past two seasons, fifth-best in the NFL over that span.

Ridgeway had been a rotational player when healthy for the Eagles over the past three seasons since being acquired from Indianapolis for a 2019 seventh-round pick and Philadelphia wasn't all that interested in bringing him back.

Ridgeway played in only 14 of a possible 32 games over his first two seasons in Philadelphia due to injury but did manage to stay healthy and play in every game in 2021, essentially serving as the fourth man in the DT rotation behind starters Fletcher Cox and Javon Hargrave, as well as rookie Milton Williams.

Ridgeway played 33% of the defensive snaps last season and recorded 20 tackles and two sacks. Overall, he played in 31 games with the Eagles plus the playoff loss back in January in Tampa Bay, amassing 41 tackles and five sacks.

Ridgeway got $1 million fully guaranteed to sign with the 49ers and could make as much as $2.5M.

Currently, the Eagles also have 2021 sixth-round pick Marlon Tuipulotu, and a couple of futures signings, Marvin Wilson and Renell Wren, as depth behind the big three at DT. Wilson spent time on the Eagles practice squad last season and Wren was a 2019 fourth-round pick by Cincinnati.

Cox, the 31-year-old, six-time Pro Bowl selection, has also been mentioned in recent trade rumors so DT could also be in play for Philadelphia in the upcoming draft where the Eagles start the process with three first-round picks (Nos. 15, 16, and 19).

The Eagles, meanwhile, made it official with Reddick, the Camden, N.J. native who starred at Temple before becoming the No. 13 overall selection in the 2017 draft, one spot before Philadelphia selected Derek Barnett, who is currently an unrestricted free agent.

Reddick, who signed for three years and $45M, is projected to be an elite finisher on the edge the Eagles haven't had since current special assistant to the GM Connor Barwin had 14.5 sacks in the 2014 season.

The Owl has landed.#FlyEaglesFly pic.twitter.com/IGS7nthmUL
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) March 16, 2022

-John McMullen contributes Eagles coverage for SI.com's Eagles Today and is the NFL Insider for JAKIB Media. You can listen to John, alongside legendary sports-talk host Jody McDonald every morning from 8-10 on ‘Birds 365,” streaming live on YouTube. John is also the host of his own show "Extending the Play" on AM1490 in South Jersey. You can reach him at jmcmullen44@gmail.com or on Twitter @JFMcMullen

Ed Kracz is the publisher of SI.com’s Eagle Maven and co-host of the Eagles Unfiltered Podcast. Check out the latest Eagles news at www.SI.com/NFL/Eagles or www.eaglemaven.com and please follow him on Twitter: @kracze.