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Cardinals WRs Andy Isabella, Greg Dortch Showed Up in Preseason from Start to Finish

The Arizona Cardinals' top two playmakers this preseason were a pair of smaller receivers battling for roles on the team: Andy Isabella and Greg Dortch.

Alex Weiner

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Wide receivers Greg Dortch and Andy Isabella have been the best of the rest in the Arizona Cardinals' wide receivers room throughout training camp and the preseason. 

With starters DeAndre Hopkins, Marquise Brown, A,J. Green and Rondale Moore in and out of practice and not playing in games, the duo has consistently made plays when given opportunities. 

On Saturday, Isabella picked up 74 yards on a catch-and-run against the Titans to set up a touchdown grab by Dortch three plays later. The score and ensuing extra point gave Arizona a 17-16 lead in the third quarter and fittingly wrapped up the two receivers' preseasons.

"I've always had a tremendous amount of respect for both those guys and how they play the game, how they work, but I thought that they attacked this camp," head coach Kliff Kingsbury said. 

"I mean, they didn't take a day off. They didn't take a rep off. Both of them, every day, full speed and you see the results when they're going against other competition. Can't say enough good things about how they played this camp."

Isabella was a downfield threat on the outside while Dortch was a do-everything slot target throughout camp and the three games. 

Both players have faced their bumps in the NFL leading to this summer. 

Isabella reportedly got permission to seek a trade early in the offseason after three years in Arizona with little on-field impact. The 2019 second-rounder has stuck around and played what he said is the best football of his career. 

His thoughts are clear going into the season. He wants to play regardless of where that may be. 

"I want to play so whoever is going to play me, that's where I want to be," Isabella told 98.7 FM Arizona's Sports Station after the game. "I love Arizona and we're going to see what happens."

Dortch seemingly came out of nowhere last year when he arrived at training camp after stops with four other teams, but he immediately stood out as a playmaker.  

The undrafted player earned a spot on the practice squad and Kingsbury called him the scout-team MVP. By the end of the year, he played in five games, mostly returning kicks. 

Cardinals wide receivers coach Shawn Jefferson was aware of Dortch when he played for Wake Forrest. Jefferson coached the Jets in 2019 and worked out Dortch, trying to break him. 

"He just would not quit," Jefferson said on Aug. 1. "Watching film on him, he's like 5-feet-nothing but he's making plays all over the place. And that's the thing that sticks out to me about about him; he plays bigger than what he really is."

The receiver said he felt like each time he had an opportunity to make plays he did this preseason after Saturday's game. 

Isabella finished the three exhibition games with 14 catches for 226 yards, while Dortch also caught 14 passes for 164 yards. 

Isabella also drew pass interference flags in all three games. 

The Cardinals have to cut their roster from 80 players to 53 by Tuesday and wide receiver is one of the deepest positions on the team. During the game broadcast, quarterback Kyler Murray said in a sideline interview, "This is the most loaded receiver room I've ever been a part of."

There is an additional spot, though, since Hopkins will miss the first six games with a suspension. 

Both Isabella and Dortch have done all they can to earn not only a spot but bigger roles. The offense has a lot of pass-catching talent, a good problem to have for a team, but one that requires tough decisions. 

Dortch said he isn't nervous, trusting his output this summer. 

"I feel like I gave it my all this whole preseason since Day 1," Dortch said. "I just left it all out there. So everything's out of my hands at this point. I felt good with what I put on tape, and everything will work out the way it is supposed to work out."

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Alex Weiner
ALEX WEINER

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