Andy Isabella’s days with the Cardinals could be numbered

The 62nd-overall pick of the 2019 NFL Draft may be running out of opportunities to prove himself to the Arizona Cardinals.

When the Arizona Cardinals hired Kliff Kingsbury back in January of 2019, the squad’s new head coach brought the “Air Raid” offense to town with him. Andy Isabella, a wide receiver who many believed would be a perfect fit for the scoring attack, was drafted a few months later. Two years have now passed since that selection was made, and the Cards are still waiting for the second-round pick to make an impact in the NFL.

As a rookie in 2019, Isabella caught just nine passes for 189 yards and a touchdown in 15 appearances (one start) for the Redbirds. Last season, the 5-foot-9, 188-pounder tallied 21 receptions, 224 receiving yards, and a measly two scores during the 13 contests (two starts) he dressed for.

In reality, there’s a very good chance that the speedy Isabella will be playing somewhere else this coming fall. The 24-year                                                                      old may flat-out be running out of chances to prove to the Cardinals that he’s worth keeping around. It was no secret around Arizona headquarters this offseason that Isabella would have to fight to retain a spot on the 2021 roster.

Wideout will struggle to make the Arizona Cardinals roster from the Reserve/COVID-19 list

Last Wednesday, Kingsbury announced that Isabella had been placed in COVID-19 protocols for the second time in two weeks. The latest setback couldn’t have come at a worse time for the extremely likable pass-catcher. The time that Isabella is spending away from the playing field is not making the challenge of making the team any easier.

It’s quite obvious that Isabella has been a major disappointment thus far for the Cards. Kingsbury and his coaching staff need a whole lot more out of the Ohio native. If that’s not possible, there are a couple of hungry receivers who would love to take Isabella’s spot with the offensive unit.

This past Friday night, those two particular youngsters turned some heads during Arizona’s 19-16 preseason victory over the Dallas Cowboys. Rondale Moore, this year’s second-round choice, flashed some exciting playmaking in his professional debut. The 5-foot-9,180-pounder tallied three receptions for 23 yards and added another 16 yards on the ground during the Cards’ triumph.

Another young wideout, Greg Dortch, also impressed in his first appearance for the Cardinals. The free-agent pickup caught two balls for 27 yards, one of which was a highly-contested 20-yard grab that help set up a game-tying field goal late in the fourth quarter.

If Isabella has any hope of remaining with Arizona, getting himself back on the practice field is a must. For now, time may be running out in the desert for an incredibly fast individual who has failed to live up to his potential.