The Cardinals have finally moved on from wide receiver Andy Isabella, releasing the former second-round pick so they could make room to sign veteran center Billy Price from the Raiders practice squad.
The move comes with multiple implications, not the least of which would be concern of the health of starting center Rodney Hudson.
With kicker Matt Prater hurting because of a right hip injury, the Cardinals also gave themselves a safety net on Tuesday by signing kicker Matt Ammendola to the practice squad. To make room, the Cardinals released quarterback Jarrett Guarantano from the practice squad.
The Cardinals had brought Price, a former first-round pick of the Bengals who played with Giants in 2021, in for a free-agent visit this offseason when Hudson's potential retirement was still possible. Sean Harlow is the backup center, but he also could be needed at guard with the uncertain health of Justin Pugh.
Hudson has been dealing with a knee issue off and on.
Isabella, meanwhile, never could find footing after arriving to such optimism in 2019 as the type of receiver coach Kliff Kingsbury wanted in his offense. But Isabella saw his playing time -- already limited -- dwindle last season and got permission to seek a trade in the offseason, although nothing materialized.
He voiced his frustrations in the preseason while turning in multiple effective performances, looking to go elsewhere if he wasn't going to play in Arizona.
"They stacked the odds against me, but that doesn't faze me," Isabella said. "I'm going to show up every day and do what I have to do. They can do whatever they want, they ain't going to break me."
When the regular season started, Greg Dortch was getting the playing time and Isabella was not. Isabella has two catches for 21 yards this season, and finished his time with the Cardinals with 33 catches for 447 yards and three touchdowns.
Ammendola already has been a fill-in kicker for the Chiefs this season, after Harrison Butker hurt his ankle in the season opener at State Farm Stadium against the Cardinals. Ammendola made 3-of-4 field goals and 3-of-4 extra points for the Chiefs in two games. He missed the extra point and a field goal in a three-point loss to the Colts, leading to his release before Butker was healthy.
In 2021, Ammendola made 13-of-19 field goals and 14-of-15 extra-points for the Jets in 11 games.
On the season, Prater has made all six field-goal attempts and all four of his extra-point attempts. He was dealing with a right hip injury all last week, but still kicked two field goals and two extra points before the hip worsened. Running back Eno Benjamin filled in on kickoffs, and the Cardinals went for a two-point conversion after their final touchdown.
