The Houston Texans secured themselves a dominant defensive line presence when they signed Hassan Ridgeway in free agency.
The former Mansfield High School product is coming back to the Lone Star State, but established himself as a space eater in run defense. At 6-3, 305 pounds, Ridgeway could prove to be one of the Texans’ best free agent acquisitions.
Kyle Madson, managing editor of the Niners Wire, stopped by to lend insight as to what the dynamic defensive tackle might bring to the table in 2023.
What was Ridgeway's biggest strength last season?
While Ridgeway only spent one season in San Francisco, Madson made it clear that he was a key piece to one of the league’s most impenetrable defenses. Despite missing some time, the eighth-year lineman quickly became a key cog in their effort against the ground game and helped elevate players around him to stop opposing offenses in their tracks.
“Ridgeway’s biggest strength is his run-stopping ability,” Madson explained. “The 49ers [had] one of the NFL’s best run defenses last year while he was playing, and his absence following a chest injury was noticeable. He’s a very good rotational piece.”
Houston will likely look to utilize Ridgeway as more than a rotational piece, but Madson’s insight into his use with the 49ers is a good indication that the Texans will still need to keep depth up front to ensure that their new defensive tackle is able to play at full strength consistently.
What role did Ridgeway play for San Francisco?
Projecting Ridgeway's development in 2023
Despite Ridgeway’s accomplishments last season, Madson wasn’t so bullish on the defensive tackle’s projection in 2023 as part of the Texans defensive line. Though valuable, Madson doesn’t see Ridgeway as a breakout candidate with his new team.
“He won’t likely become an every-down player who wreaks havoc in opposing backfields,” Madson told us. “He’s just a solid, NFL-caliber defensive lineman.”
For a team that needed as many veterans as possible to help their defense grow, Ridgeway certainly seems to fit the bill of what Houston was looking for in free agency. He may not prove to be a world-beater in the middle of their line, but Ridgeway should be expected to eat up valuable space against the run and mentor younger players during his time with the Texans.