Of the six new players the Arizona Cardinals acquired via waiver claim was offensive lineman Keith Ismael, formerly of the San Francisco 49ers. What is there to know about the new addition?
He was drafted in the fifth round by the Washington Commanders (then the Football Team) in 2020. He appeared in 18 games in 2020 and 2021, starting five in 2021, all at center.
He spent last season on the 49ers’ practice squad.
He is 6-foot-3 and 310 pounds and played collegiately at San Diego State, where he was a two-time first-team All-Mountain West selection and started all 38 games played at both center and guard.
He will compete with Trystan Colon to be the Cardinals’ backup center behind starter Hjalte Froholdt.
Niners Wire managing editor Kyle Madson described Ismael this offseason as “unspectacular.”
“The 49ers don’t really have a backup center, so he had a real shot to make the team, but didn’t,” he told me. “Just not a great camp or preseason.”
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