I think the jury is still out on AI.
Isabella’s stats so far:
https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/3914328/andy-isabella
(1)You can’t get the numbers if you don’t get the targets. He getting about 3 targets per game. With so few targets, the missed connections are amplified.
(2) You can’t get in sync with the QB unless you are getting the practice reps. If Isabella is defined by the coaches as the guy who is going to be a deep-threat with 3 targets per game and a decoy the rest of the time he is on the field—how many reps is he getting with KM? Only so many times KM can sling it, only so many times Isabella can run the deep route. Witness the two early deep balls in the SeaTurkey game that were big misses. Who made the bad decision—was it Isabella not running the correct route or was it KM not putting the ball on target OR was it on both. KM and Kirk appear to be in better sync—but they played together for a year in college. Also, Isabella is returning kicks—how much of his practice time and game prep is spent on that assignment.
An experienced QB can more quickly mesh with a newbie WR. That’s one of the reasons RW is connecting with Metcalf. Look at all of the out-of-sync misses between KM and Fitz—there you have a HOF WR trying to mesh with a newbie QB.
(3) You can’t perform if the coaching staff doesn’t use you to your best advantage. Think of the abuse of Reddick for four years before the coaches put him in his college position.
(4) He can’t track the ball. Really? How did he put up the college numbers that he did if he can’t track the ball—a receiver expects the ball to delivered somewhere in his wingspan—how do you track the ball when it is several yards off the route? Witness the KM missed TD to Fitz—one of the few times I’ve ever seen Fitz give the ‘What the ????’ to the QB. Check out Isabella’s draft preview tape—he’s doing a good job of tracking and adjusting to the ball.
(5) QB and WR mismatch. We got a smurf QB attempting to throw to his mirror image smurf WR. Isabella might have a future working out of the slot—but only if the QB can see him behind the OL/DL scrum. Ditto on the deep balls—is KM able to spot him going down field when the D is bearing down? If it is OK for our QB to be a smurf—not fair to then rag on a WR who is also a smurf. Find something else to rag on the smurf WR who is trying to catch balls from the smurf QB. By contrast, Josh Allen and John Brown are doing a good job of getting in sync. There, you got a huge QB throwing to a smurf WR.
(6) No player is the label(s) laid on him and repeated by fans trying to understood the player. For example, Isabella was labeled as catching the ball with his body, not extending the hands. That was supposedly the rationale that kept him off the field. I don’t know if this is true or not—he’s making plenty of catches extending his hands in his pre-draft highlights. That kind of negative label becomes part of the burden the player has to overcome before acceptance by fans. Those type of tags can stick around for a career.
(7) Is he fulfilling the role for which he was drafted? You can argue whether he went too high but that is judgment only if you know what he was drafted to do. Nothing wrong with being a decoy who stretches the field for the rest of the offensive weapons. Need to look at game tape and see what goes on when he is a decoy. Teams know he can put up a quick 6 on a single play. Is he drawing double coverage off Hopkins? Is he opening up the middle of the field for Fitz? The TE’s? Is there one less DB trailing him on run plays. He needs credit for that especially if this is what SK drafted him to do.
(8) A player is not the most obvious mistake that he makes—AI is catching grief because he caught a ball that had the first down distance but he tried to make a move and came off that first down. It was painful since it stopped the Cards. But what player has not made a similar mistake. KM missed a 1-yard pass that cost the Cards possession—why not rag on that mistake? With so few targets per game, that mistake is like a flashing neon like. A 3-target WR is in the same judgement category as a three attempt FG kicker.
As to DK Metcalf—what can you say. Live and learn. Here’s his career stats:
https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/4047650/dk-metcalf
Look at teams that passed him over–he fell to the bottom of the second with 63 other players taken before him. (Of course Cards are happy with that first pick) Look at the stats for some of the WR taken before him—now there are some GM who are slapping themselves upside their head.
Marquis Brown (#25) - Baltimore
Career to date: 73 Rec /963 Yards
https://www.footballdb.com/players/marquise-brown-brownma18
N’Keal Harry (#32) Pats
Career to Date: 31 Rec / 277 yards
https://www.footballdb.com/players/nkeal-harry-harrynk01
Deebo Samuel (# 36) Whiners
Career to Date: 73 Rec /987 Yards
https://www.footballdb.com/players/deebo-samuel-samuede01
A. J. Brown (#51) Bengals
Career to Date: 79 Rec /1407 Yards
https://www.footballdb.com/players/aj-brown-brownaj01
Mecole Hartman (#56) Chiefs
Career to Date: 48 Rec / 885 Yards
https://www.footballdb.com/players/mecole-hardman-hardmme01
J.J. Arcega-Whiteside (#57) Eagles
Career to Date: 12 Rec / 214 Yards
https://www.footballdb.com/players/jj-arcegawhiteside-arcegjj01
Parris Campbell (#59) Colts
Career to Date: 24 Rec / 198 Yards
https://www.footballdb.com/players/parris-campbell-campbpa01
Andy Isabella (#62) Cards
Career to Date: 20 Rec / 343 Yards
https://www.footballdb.com/players/andy-isabella-isabean01
D. K. Metcalf (# 64) SeaTurkeys
Career to Date: 94 Rec / 1580 Yards
https://www.footballdb.com/players/dk-metcalf-metcadk01
At the time I did this survey, Isabella had more receiving yards than Harry, Arcega-Whiteside, and Campbell who were all taken before him. Wonder if the fans of the Pats, Eagles, and Colts are ragging on their team/GM for passing on AI. LOL.
