Eagles Bring Back Ridgeway, Lose Vaitai

PHILADELPHIA (973espn.com) - The Eagles are bringing back defensive tackle Hassan Ridgeway on a one-year deal.

Ridgeway, 25, was originally acquired from Indianapolis for a seventh-round pick during the draft last year and ended up starting five games due to injuries to both Malik Jackson and Tim Jernigan.

Ridgeway himself then suffered a season-ending ankle injury in late October.

The Eagles were impressed by Ridgeway's upside and he will have an opportunity to fit in as the rotational DT behind All-Pro Fletcher Cox and the returning Jackson, who was injured in Week 1 last season.

Philadelphia also did not place a tender on running back Corey Clement meaning the veteran running back and South Jersey native is set to become an unrestricted free agent on Wednesday at the start of the new league year.

As far as losses on the first day of legal tampering, the biggest came in the form of swing tackle Halapoulivaati Vaitai, who got a five-year $50 million deal from the Detroit Lions.

Originally a fifth-round draft pick out of TCU in 2016, Vaitai started 10 games at left tackle during the Eagles Super Bowl LII-winning season.

By last season Vaitai proved himself inside at guard, only increasing his versatility and value in what Howie Roseman called an O-Line deficient league.

Although Vaitai's departure was expected him, replacing him won't be easy although Philadelphia has two in-house options in Jordan Mailata and Matt Pryor.

-John McMullen covers the Eagles and the NFL for 973espn.com. You can reach him at jmcmullen44@gmail.com or on Twitter @JFMcMullen