Getty Images Andy Isabella of the Arizona Cardinals.
Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Andy Isabella is looking for a new home and the Cleveland Browns are rumored to be interested in making a deal for the speedy pass-catcher.
Isabella was a second-round pick of the Cardinals in 2019 but quickly fell out of the good graces of head coach Kliff Kingsbury. Isabella appeared in 28 games during his first two seasons but was on the field for only eight games in 2021. He caught just one pass for 13 yards and was a healthy scratch for the team’s playoff game.
Isabella has been given permission to seek a trade, per Josina Anderson of CBS Sports.
“I think we have all concluded, including the Cardinals that it might be best for Andy to get a fresh start,” Isabella’s agent Bradley Blank said.
The Browns “sniffed” around the idea of trading for Isabella last season and are still “likely interested” per Brad Stainbrook of the Orange and Brown Report.
Source: #Browns sniffed around the idea of trading for #Cardinals WR Andy Isabella last deadline. Isabella now has permission to seek a trade. I’m told Cleveland is still likely interested.
Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski was asked about the Browns’ potential interest in Isabella during his media availability at the NFL Combine on Wednesday but stuck to his standard of not addressing speculation.
#Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said he remembers when WR Andy Isabella was coming out of college but he doesn’t want to speak about anyone specifically being on Cleveland’s radar. Isabella has received permission from #AZCardinals to seek a trade, as his agent told @JosinaAnderson
Browns Need to Improve at Wide Receiver
The Browns need to improve at the wide receiver position this offseason, especially with the possibility of veteran Jarvis Landry moving on. Browns general manager Andrew Berry addressed Landry’s future earlier in the week at the combine.
“Jarvis has been a productive player for us for the past four years. He’s been a big part of helping us turn the tide and everything like that,” Berry said. “The next couple weeks are big for us in terms of evaluating the roster, but Jarvis has been a key veteran for us, a key producer, and we’re really grateful for that.”
Landry will account for a $16 million cap hit next season if he’s still on the roster but he has no guaranteed money left on his deal. Without a restructuring of his contract, it’s likely the Browns would part ways with him.
If Landry is wearing a different jersey next year, Isabella could be key in replacing some of those reps in the slot. Here is how NFL.com draft analyst Lance Zierlein described Isabella prior to the draft:
Competitive, well-rounded receiver possessing both elite quickness and long speed to go with solid play strength. Isabella has the feet and fakes to uncover in a hallway closet, and the former high school sprint champion proved to Georgia that his ability to win deep should not be underestimated. Isabella could become a menace on option routes with the ability to add vertical routes from the slot, but he must improve his pass-catching consistency and smoothness into his breaks in order to transition all that speed to the NFL.
Garrett Wilson Wants to Play With Baker Mayfield
The Browns could also decide to look to the draft with their No. 13 overall pick to build up their wide receiver corps. One player of particular interest in Ohio State’s Garrett Wilson, who the Browns have met with at the combine.
Both Wilson and Mayfield went to Lake Travis High School in Texas and have trained together during the offseason.
“Baker’s my guy,” Wilson said on Wednesday. “He was always a little older than me and he would come back [to Lake Travis] and coach seven on seven. During the quarantine, we actually threw together a couple times. So I know that Baker is a great player. We have a good relationship.”