The perfect player that should not only win the job but take on a bigger role with the team is second-year wide receiver Andy Isabella.
The Arizona Cardinals had a busy offseason dealing with both transactions and opt-outs due to COVID-19 concerns. The biggest splash of the offseason was trading for Houston Texans wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins. That gives Kyler Murray three lethal targets to throw to: Hopkins, Larry Fitzgerald, and Christian Kirk. However, that fourth wide receiver spot is wide open and the perfect player that should not only win the job but take on a bigger role with the team is second-year wide receiver Andy Isabella.
The 2019 NFL Draft class was loaded with impressive speed at the wide receiver position, including guys like Deebo Samuel, Paris Campbell and Andy Isabella. Isabella ran a 4.31-second 40-yard dash at the combine and his speed is something that should not be overlooked. He is in the shadow of the other big three receivers. But, once he is used the right way, he could really be a key part of the Cardinals’ offense. Even though he is undersized, he has the talent to make people overlook that case. He is a crisp route runner and his hands have gotten better throughout the years. The one concern with Isabella is his blocking skills due to his size and body frame. Luckily, the Cardinals have two big-bodied receivers ahead of him. However, if he wants to be used in a bigger role as he should, that is something he will have to develop to improve his game.
Hakeem Butler had a lot of hype coming into the draft due to his breakout season in his last year at Iowa State and an impressive showing at the 2019 NFL Combine. Unlike Isabella, Butler exceeds in blocking, a trait that makes him stand out among the other young wide receivers on the Cardinals. Some even had Butler as first-round talent, but he fell all the way to the fourth. He ran a 4.48 40-yard dash at the combine, which is astonishing for a player his size, who stands at 6-foot-5 and 227 pounds. There is a lot of potential in him, but he is highly unproven as he went down with a major avulsion fracture that sidelined him for his rookie season.
The other major name is KeeSean Johnson, Who was the third receiver drafted by the Cardinals in the 2019 NFL Draft. Johnson has shown sparks at times when he is given the opportunity. He also has impressive hands, posting a 4.8% drop rate, according to RotoWire. He is also another guy that has developed his route running skills, which impressed the Cardinals early. The biggest concern with Johnson is that his speed is not something that will jump out at you. It poses a question as to whether he can keep up with elite defenders like Richard Sherman twice a year or not.
Andy Isabella, Hakeem Butler and KeeSean Johnson all have different weaknesses, but one is more proven than the others. With his speed, impressive route-running skills and reliability, Andy Isabella has made a case for that fourth wide receiver spot and an even bigger role with the Cardinals in 2020.
The perfect player to not only win the starting job but help the Cardinals’ offense flourish is Houston native Josh Jones.
With the Arizona Cardinals RT Marcus Gilbert opting out of the 2020 season, that means his position is anyone’s to take for the upcoming year. The perfect player to not only win the starting job but help the Cardinals offense flourish is Houston native Josh Jones, whom the Cardinals drafted in the third round this year.
For the past few years, the Senior Bowl has been a game where draft prospects like Josh Jones have made a name for themselves and soared up the draft boards. Going up against the most elite talent in the country, Jones had coaches and scouts on the edge of their seats and his draft stock skyrocketed. Several analysts had him as a first-round talent after his Senior Bowl performance. The Cardinals were very fortunate to get Josh Jones in the third round, as many experts did not think he would fall past the first two. He may have been the most underrated offensive tackle in this draft.
Jones plays with a lot of hustle and competitive toughness. He seeds in pass protection. The Cardinals’ offensive line showed quite a bit of improvement in their pass protection. With the addition of Josh Jones, the 6-foot-5 and 319-pound force, the Cardinals will have a big bolster in their pass protection for Kyler Murray, especially with a new weapon in DeAndre Hopkins. In his final year at Houston, Josh Jones allowed just one sack in the 13 games he started at left tackle, giving him a jaw-dropping 93.4 pass protection grade, according to PFF. Jones’ athleticism is extremely impressive for how big he is, and with his traits, he could potentially have a very high ceiling.
Jones needs a bit of grooming in the run game, as there are times where he blocks too high and lets his technique get in the way of him. However, with his size and athleticism, he should have no problem developing that trait. There are times where he will start too high and will lose leverage at finishing. However, Jones has had sparks in his run blocking where he does a nice job getting low and finishing. If he can develop his bull rush, Jones will be a force to be reckoned with on the Cardinals’ offensive line.
Without Marcus Gilbert for the 2020 season, that gives Josh Jones the perfect opportunity to win the starting job and solidify himself as their franchise tackle for years to come.
