What Does John Ridgeway Trade Mean For Washington?

On Wednesday, the Washington Commanders traded another Ron Rivera-era piece away to the New Orleans Saints. The Commanders sent John Ridgeway III and a seventh-round pick to the Saints for a sixth-round pick in next year’s draft.

Ridgeway, it can be argued, underperformed during training camp and the preseason which made him expendable.

So, what does the trade mean for the Commanders as a whole?

General manager Adam Peters is stockpiling draft picks for next year’s draft. They parted with a seventh-round pick they received from the Philadelphia Eagles along with Ridgeway and moved up by receiving a sixth-round pick in return.

Peters is making moves to improve this team and collecting picks to do it. ... though this is obviously an incremental move up only.

On the defensive line, it means a few things. First and foremost, we can put the Jonathan Allen trade rumors to bed. The combination of Allen and Payne in the middle of that line is as formidable as they come.

It also means that this year’s No. 36 overall pick, Jer'Zhan "Johnny" Newton is going to get considerable playing time as a rookie. Newton was a dominant player at Illinois with a mid-first-round grade before a foot injury caused his stock to drop.

Related: Commanders' Dan Quinn Explains Keeping 2 Undrafted Free Agents

The Commanders were lucky that he dropped right in their lap. Newton will be a force in the middle as well.

Phidarian Mathis, a second-round pick in 2022, will also get plenty of playing time behind Payne and Allen.

But most of all? Ridgeway was obviously a fit with the old bosses after having been claimed away from the Dallas Cowboys ... and is no longer that. This new regime under Peters and coach Dan Quinn might not say it out loud, but they are slowly washing away the draft picks selected by Ron Rivera as they continue to build this team.