Looking to add speed on offense and special teams, the Buffalo Bills signed WR Andy Isabella on Friday after a successful workout. The former second-round pick by the Arizona Cardinals has also spent time with the Baltimore Ravens before being released just prior to training camp.
Isabella has not lived up to his draft position, never showing consistency in the offense and occasionally getting some work as a return man. He does have extensive NFL experience, having been in the league since 2019 which is why he was an upgrade over the recently released Jalen Wayne.
Higher draft picks will always have the tires kicked a few times if they don’t initially pan out before they are truly given up on. Isabella brings elite 4.31 speed which helps explain why he shot up the draft boards.
Below are Andy Isabella’s publicly reported injury history and concerns.
NFL
2019 Arizona Cardinals
Knee injury, side not specified, missed 1 preseason game.
Isabella was working through a minor knee injury suffered in training camp, missing the first preseason game.
Shoulder, side not specified, Week 14, missed 0 games.
Isabella suffered a shoulder injury against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 14 and was limited all week, officially questionable heading into Week 15 against the Cleveland Browns, ultimately playing. He only saw 15 snaps on offense which was in line with his workload in previous weeks.
2020 Cardinals
No publicly reported injuries.
2021 Cardinals
COVID, July 29-August 2, August 11-23
Isabella found him on the COVID/Reserve list twice during training camp, missing valuable reps each time.
2022 Cardinals/Baltimore Ravens
Back injury, Week 1, missed 1 game.
While still with the Cardinals, Isabella suffered a back injury in the season opener against the Kansas City Chiefs. He missed the following week but returned in Week 3 to play a season-high 32 offensive snaps. He was waived after Week 4 and immediately found his way to the Baltimore Ravens practice squad, getting two call-ups late in the season.
Buffalo Bills Injury Outlook
None of the injuries listed above appear to be an issue, more one-off events that affected his production. That trend carried over from his prolific career at Massachusetts, not suffering any notable injuries.
It appears his play has been more of the issue throughout his NFL career to this point. There are not any concerns regarding his injuries, it’s whether he has the talent to contribute on special teams and in the offense when called upon.
No one can teach the type of speed he has and he doesn’t bring with him the soft tissue strains normally associated with skill set. If he can avoid any preseason injuries and secure a return man role, things could turn around for Isabella’s NFL career.
Top Photo Credit: Joe Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports
