Andy Isabella should be a trade target of the Kansas City Chiefs , Matt Connor of Arrowhead Addict wrote on Sunday. The second-year receiver is currently on the Arizona Cardinals’ roster but Connor feels they might be willing to part with him. The analyst believes the surge of Isabella in scouts’ eyes was surprising heading into the 2019 draft. How buried on the depth chart in he is in 2020 might mean he’s someone who is obtainable for cheap by the Chiefs.
Connor said that though there is certainly a chance the Cardinals are preparing to give Isabella a chance to shine this season, the team’s actions toward their 2019 second-round pick indicate they feel it was a mistake to draft him.
The analyst believes the Cardinals had big plans for Isabella when they first drafted him. They were looking for weapons to pair with rookie quarterback Kyler Murray. However, the team didn’t stop looking for wide receiver weapons after they selected the University of Massachusetts grad. The team also took Hakeem Butler in the fourth round and KeeSean Johnson in the sixth. Johnson ended up posting the best season of the three in 2019. He appeared in 10 games and started four, hauling down 21 catches for 187 yards and a touchdown.
Isabella played in all but one game for the Cardinals last year but he only started one contest. He finished his rookie campaign with just nine catches. He did make the most of those catches, taking them for 189 yards and a touchdown. Isabella was considered a speed prospect out of college and he backed that up by averaging over 20-yards per catch last season.
Despite his ability to catch and run, there were 11 Cardinals targeted in the passing game more than Isabella was. Connor said there were hints the receiver would be a bust right after he was drafted. He had problems actually catching the ball as well as blocking at the combine and in private workouts with NFL teams.
As for why the analyst believes the Chiefs should be interested, considering Isabella’s failings, he believes the receiver better fits KC’s offense. He could be paired with players like Mecole Hardman and Tyreek Hill to build a blazing fast receiver corps.
He also pointed to the fact that the Chiefs receiver depth chart is going to be quite a bit thinner after the 2020 season. DeMarcus Robinson and Sammy Watkins are both slated to become free agents in 2021. As it stands now, Hill and Hardman will be the only receivers under team control.