Photo courtesy: Arizona Cardinals.
Ottawa Redblacks’ vice-president of football operations Shawn Burke tracked American receiver Andy Isabella for a long time.
“He was on and off our (negotiation) list, then he was on another team’s neg list, and we popped him back on when he went off that team’s neg list. Always liked watching him, I think he had a CFL-style of play,” Burke recently said from the CFL Combine in Edmonton.
The 29-year-old was selected in the second round, 62nd overall during the 2019 NFL Draft. He played 43 games over six seasons with the Arizona Cardinals, Baltimore Ravens, Buffalo Bills, and Pittsburgh Steelers. The five-foot-nine, 188-pound speedster recorded 33 receptions for 447 yards with three touchdowns while earning approximately $9.5 million USD in the NFL.
“Credit (linebacker) Jovan Santos-Knox last year. Heknows (Isabella) and played with him (in college). I felt Jovan out (about) if he’d ever have an interest of coming up here. Jovan talked to him and said, ‘He wants to play football,'” Burke explained.
“It took a long time. High-end draft pick in the NFL that’s had a few different stops. He’s coming in like everyoneelse, new to our league, to compete for a spot, but a more well-known name.”
Isabella’s speed should help him acclimate to the three-down game as a receiver and possibly returner. He ran a 4.31-second forty-yard dash at the 2019 NFL Combine, which could provide general manager, head coach, and offensive coordinator Ryan Dinwiddie with a field-stretching target.
“I was excited to hear the news. Burkey has been working on him for a long time. He brought up his name and the opportunity to bring him in, I said, ‘No-brainer,'” Dinwiddie added.
Isabella will compete for a roster spot in a talented receiver group in the nation’s capital.
The Ottawa Redblacks were the CFL’s most active team in free agency, adding players like quarterback Jake Maier, running back Greg Bell, offensive lineman Martez Ivey, defensive lineman Habakkuk Baldonado, linebacker A.J. Allen, strong-side linebacker C.J. Reavis, and defensive back Demerio Houston. The team also had a few key departures, including quarterback Dustin Crum (Montreal Alouettes), strong-side linebacker Adarius Pickett (Toronto Argonauts), and return specialist DeVonte Dedmon (Montreal Alouettes).
The Redblacks hold the first overall pick in the 2026 CFL Draft, which is scheduled for Tuesday, April 28 at 7:00 p.m. EDT. All CFL training camps are scheduled to open on May 10. The team will play its first preseason game against the Montreal Alouettes on Friday, May 22 and its first regular-season game against the Edmonton Elks on Saturday, June 6.
In 2025, Ottawa finished fourth in the East Division standings with a 4-14 record, missing the playoffs for the fifth time in the last six seasons. Ryan Dinwiddie was hired as the team’s head coach and general manager after the firing of Bob Dyce.
Football insider, reporter and analyst.