Just how hard is it for the Arizona Cardinals to draft wide receivers?

Draw a line through the Cardinals’ three-player wide-receiver draft of 2019 that included Andy Isabella (second round), Hakeem Butler (fourth) and KeeSean Johnson (sixth). They’re all gone. Don’t let the sagebrush get you on the way out of town. And, although Isabella might find another interested team, none are currently on a NFL roster or practice squad.

The departure of Isabella also places scrutiny again on receivers the Cardinals could have selected with the 62nd overall selection in that year’s draft.

Two choices later with the final selection of the second round, the Seahawks picked DK Metcalf. Then, in the third round, another two picks later, the Steelers drafted Diontae Johnson. Ten choices after that, it was Terry McLaurin to Washington.

Those three all signed lucrative contract extensions prior to this season and their production dwarfs that of Isabella, who finished his Arizona career with 33 catches for 447 yards (13.5 average) and there touchdowns in 39 games and three starts.

Metcalf: 53 games, 52 starts; 239-3454-14.5-30

Johnson: 51 games, 43 starts; 277-2971-10.7-20

McLaurin: 50 games, 50 starts; 236-3340-14.2-17

Talking about Isabella’s departure Wednesday, Kingsbury insisted Isabella will find another team and be successful.

Asked if he believes it’s difficult to evaluate receivers coming to the NFL, Kingsbury said, “A lot of that is situational. Andy, we bring him in and he’s behind Christian Kirk and Larry Fitzgerald where we wanted to play him. And so he probably didn’t get the time on task that could have really helped him. Then we bring in DeAndre Hopkins and so you have those three guys. It’s just hard to get on the field.

“He comes in and he’s behind a Hall of Famer, a guy who just got $20 million a year (Kirk actually got $18 million, but who’s quibbling over two mill), then we bring in another guy that’s making $25 million. So it wasn’t ideal at times and I think he can definitely play in this league. He’ll find a place. And the other two, KeeSean and Hakeem, just didn’t work out for whatever reason. Every position is hard to evaluate. I think receiver particularly, you gotta find a place that’s able to maximize your skillset and where you fit in.”

With Butler and Johnson, there aren’t a lot of players at any position that hit in those rounds. However, the Cardinals seem to rarely hit big on later-round gems.

Not including this year’s draft, since 2013, the Cardinals have had 29 selections in the fifth round or later and only three are currently on the roster (defensive lineman Michael Dogbe, running back Eno Benjamin and linebacker Victor Dimukeje). One is on reserve/injured (tackle Josh Miles). None are on any other team’s 53-man roster, while three are on practice squads: quarterback Josh Rosen, Cleveland; offensive lineman Will Holden, Giants; and cornerback Tay Gowan, Vikings).

In addition, in the drafts from 2013 through 2018, only three players from any rounds are on the current roster: tackle D.J. Humphries and linebacker Markus Golden, 2015; and safety Budda Baker, 2017.

Meanwhile, to wrap up the Isabella era (or is it error?), Kingsbury was asked about having to inform him of his release.

“It’s terrible. I hate that,” Kings bury said. “He comes in yesterday and just a tough conversation because you love him and what he’s about, how hard he’s worked. In the right situation, it could have been different, and I think it will be for him.

“But even on his way out, this is the type of guy he is, he tells me, ‘Hey, prove ‘em wrong, coach.’ He’s still thinking about others and encouraging me, so I think the world of him and hopefully he lands in a good spot.”

Inside Slants

The injury report was another crowded one for the Cardinals Wednesday even amid the return of cornerback Antonio Hamilton, wide receiver Antoine Wesley and quarterback Colt McCoy.

Four of the team’s 10 offensive linemen did not practice, including right tackle Kelvin Beachum, who had a rest day, while left tackle D.J. Humphries was limited because of a hamstring injury.

Not practicing because of injury were center Rodney Hudson (knee), left guard Justin Pugh (elbow) and guard Max Garcia (toe).

The Cardinals signed center/guard Billy Price off the Raiders’ practice squad Tuesday and also added lineman Koda Martin to the practice squad because offensive lineman Lachavious Simmons was placed on practice-squad injured.

Kingsbury acknowledged it will “take to the weekend before we know who can go” and said Price was added “as insurance to see who all can play and who can’t numbers-wise.”

Kingsbury also revealed that Matt Prater (right hip) won’t kick against the Eagles and that practice-squad addition Matt Ammendola will be elevated.

Asked if Prater might be headed to reserve/injured, Kingsbury said, “I think we’re kinda working through that, but not as of now.”

As for Ammendola, the coach said, “He kicked well today. He’s in the NFL for a reason. Has had some success kicking at certain spots and looked really sharp today.”

Of course, looking “sharp” in practice doesn’t compare to coming through in games.

Ammendola played at Oklahoma State and was undrafted in 2020. He didn’t land his first NFL contract until the following March with the Panthers. He was waived May 17 and then signed with the Jets on July 31 where he kicked for 11 games until being waived on Dec. 4 and finished the season on the practice squad.

This year, after the Jets cut him on March 29, he spent two days in training camp with the Houston Texans and then kicked in Weeks 2 and 3 for the Chiefs after being elevated from the practice squad. However, Kansas City released him after he missed a 34-yard fourth-quarter field-goal attempt and an extra point in the team’s 20-17 loss to Indianapolis.

With the Jets in 2021, he was 13-for-19 on field-goal attempts thanks to being 2-for-5 from 40-49 yards and missing all three of his attempts from 53, 54 and 55 yards.

Meanwhile, other players that didn’t practice Wednesday were wide receiver Marquise Brown (foot), nose tackle Rashard Lawrence (hand), linebacker Nick Vigil (hamstring) and tight end Maxx Williams (knee). Aside from Humphries, others limited were defensive end J.J. Watt (calf), linebackers Zaven Collins (shoulder) and Ezekiel Turner (ankle) and wide receiver A.J. Green (knee).

Kingsbury said Green is “day-to-day” and added, “He got out there today and was moving around. We’ll see how he feels at the end of the week, but it would be nice to have all those bodies, be able to keep some guys fresh and maybe not have to play guys as many snaps as they’ve had to the last few games.”

That also includes the hope that Wesley will be activated from reserve/injured.

“He’s been a solid contributor,” Kingsbury said. “Whatever we ask him to do, he gets it done. When he’s had a chance to make plays, he’s made plays for us. We have been thin at wideout, so the more help we can get at that position the better. Hopefully, A.J. will be ready to go as well so we should have decent numbers going into the game.”

Kingsbury was also happy to see Hamilton back to work.

He said, “It was great. You could see him and hear him. That’s the type of energy he brings. He’s excited. He was playing at such a high level in training camp and saw some good things out there today. We’ll be smart, easing him back in. Don’t want to put too much of a load on him early. But he brings great juice to the practice field.”

The quotebook

Kingsbury on if he is aware he’s 6-0 against the NFC East: “I did not. I hope that didn’t jinx us, but we haven’t won at home in a while so maybe that kind of cancels out.”

The Cardinals defeated the Giants in 2019, all four NFC East teams in 2020 and Dallas in 2021.