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With the NFL’s annual trading deadline less than two days away, many Cardinal fans have their sights set on another impact addition to help fuel the team toward a championship run.
October’s arrival of Pro Bowl tight end Zach Ertz sent shockwaves throughout the desert, with the former Eagle landing in Arizona for what equated to 30 cents on the dollar. GM Steve Keim was able to work his vintage trade heist magic, as he shipped out a measly fifth-round pick alongside developmental CB Tay Gowan for Ertz.
With a sudden need to be filled at defensive tackle following the potential season ending injury to J.J. Watt, surely Keim is working the phones on another marquee acquisition?
Right?!
While the BirdGang can daydream for the likes of Fletcher Cox or Jonathan Allen dawning the Cardinal red and white, the more likely roster move up Keim’s sleeve is one based on subtraction rather than addition.
After close to three years with the club, former second-round pick Andy Isabella could finally be on the outs with the team that selected the UMass product 62nd overall back in 2019. According to numerous national reports, including insight from both Albert Breer and Ian Rapoport, the Cardinals are said to be fielding inquiries on Isabella’s availability ahead of Tuesday’s trading deadline.
Rapoport specifically added that numerous NFL teams had previously attempted to pry the young pass catcher away from Arizona during the offseason, with Keim opting against it.
So why now is the Arizona GM suddenly more open to potentially parting with his underwhelming, yet talented speedster?
For starters, Isabella currently sits sixth on the Cardinals receiving depth chart, firmly behind the likes of DeAndre Hopkins, A.J. Green, Christian Kirk and Rondale Moore. To make matters worse, Isabella has been a healthy scratch for all but two games for the Cardinals this season. Free agent addition Antoine Wesley has been active for six games and saw increased playing time at receiver during Thursday’s loss to Green Bay.
Andy Isabella has currently logged zero snaps with the Arizona Cardinal offense in 2021.
With the expedited development of Moore, as well as the increased level of play from Kirk in a contract year, Keim is likely more at ease with the thought of dealing from his surplus. Even if one of the main four starters at receiver goes down, the team has collected more than enough talent to supplement especially given the sudden presence of Ertz in this offense.
Another factor in Keim’s potential hesitancy in dealing Isabella could stem from his association to the failed Josh Rosen experience. Isabella is, of course, the last remaining piece of perhaps Keim’s most butchered draft selection in Rosen. After trading away what equated to a first, third and fifth-round pick to select the former UCLA quarterback, Keim quickly pivoted off Rosen the following year for a mere second-rounder once he had Kyler Murray in house.
In the draft of 2019, Keim and the Cardinals would use their newly acquired pick (via the Miami Dolphins) on Isabella, just two spots before Pro Bowler DK Metcalf would be selected by division rival Seattle.
Given everything, the trade itself has been an unmitigated disaster for the Cardinals organization which is why so many assumed Keim would be ready to wash his hands of it by shipping Isabella out of town. Why not simply cut ties with your blunder so you can give increased opportunities to those (ala Wesley) that are clearly more deserving in terms of ability?
The answer to that question is and always will be “pride”. Keim has been reluctant to admit failure on the Isabella pick because, right or wrong, the GM was holding out hope that he would eventually turn into the impact player they imagined. Shipping him out on the cheap while the franchise was consistently losing games was not a good look for either Keim nor head coach Kliff Kingsbury.
It should be noted that Kingsbury himself personally lobbied for the drafting of Isabella.
At the end of the day, it’s only because the Cardinals are a blistering 7-1 to begin the season that Keim is now suddenly open to moving on from Isabella. With his position as team general manager now (likely) secure thanks to a slew of high end moves this past offseason, Keim suddenly has the clout to quietly ship out one of his more embarrassing picks with little to no push back. Suddenly, thanks to Keim, no one in the Valley cares that Isabella doesn’t see the field because his snaps are being occupied by the likes of rookie sensation Rondale Moore.
Outside of maybe only the Dallas Cowboys, no one team in the NFL has a receiving room more rich with talent than the Arizona Cardinals.
With that all of this in mind, even with Keim fielding speculatory trade offers, expectations should be tempered when it comes to a potential return. As far as draft compensation would go, it’s hard to imagine any team giving up more than a fifth-round pick in return for Isabella’s services. Perhaps a deal could be struck that sends Arizona back a rotational piece (CB, DT) that could be used for depth purposes as the Cardinals compete for the NFC West this season.
At only 24-years old, Isabella does have value in the form of a modest salary for each of the next two years. Unlike most players that are typically moved at the deadline, he’s not a rental nor is he approaching the wrong side of 30. While he is too often seen catching passes with his body as opposed to his hands, Isabella still does possess the type of front line speed that so many NFL teams crave. Wide receiver is also a position in which a change of scenery can do wonders for a young player from both a schematics and culture standpoint.
Andy Isabella knows that Cardinal fans will always equate him to either Josh Rosen or DK Metcalf. For these reasons and more, a fresh start is long overdue for both parties.
While no potential trade partners have surfaced, the New England Patriots remain one of the teams to watch heading into Tuesday. Given Isabella’s strong east coast ties in connection with New England’s historically great usage of undersized, speedy slot receivers and it’s certainly worth a phone call.
Steve Keim and Bill Belichick do have significant history in the form of trading picks for players.
Regardless of what happens, it’s clear that whether he’s moved this week or next offseason, Andy Isabella’s days with the Arizona Cardinal organization are numbered. Which is why it’s in Keim’s best interest to get what he can for the former collegiate All-American before it’s too late.
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