The 5: Things to know about the Cardinals’ and Bengals’ WR groups

TEMPE, Ariz. — Two winless teams meet in Week 5 desperate for their first-year head coaches and playcallers to get the monkey off their respective backs.

Problem is, both the Arizona Cardinals and Cincinnati Bengals have given their young head coaches less-than-ideal circumstances.

Throw in a rash of injuries, and the winner of Sunday’s game could come down to whichever team has fewer receiver woes.

Below are five storylines to follow for the two teams’ wide receiver positions heading into their matchup at Paul Brown Stadium.

Isabella still working

The Cardinals continue searching for ways to get rookie second-round pick Andy Isabella involved.

Still, it sounds like that process is moving slowly, even with two injuries to starting slot receivers.

In his only offensive snap against the Carolina Panthers two weeks back, Isabella went up the seam and was seemingly open for a deep shot — but quarterback Kyler Murray couldn’t see the fellow rookie or get the ball out with pressure closing in.

Last week, Arizona used Isabella on the scripted second drive, sweeping him for a 16-yard gain before a holding penalty brought the play back. He played eight offensive snaps total.

“We’ve moved him around several places. He’s coming on,” head coach Kliff Kingsbury said. “I expect him to continue to get more time. It’s not for a lack of effort or talent, it’s just we’ve moved him around and I think it’s slowed his development. He’ll play everywhere but we think it’ll be more outside for the time being.”

Kingsbury hoped that Isabella continues developing a dynamic understanding of the playbook, and the head coach even expressed hope the second-round pick grows into a player similar to the Patriots’ slot weapon Julian Edelman.

“I know that’s high praise or a tough comparison at this point, but you know, in a perfect world, we’d love for him to develop into that type of player,” Kingsbury said.

Isabella is working with receiver coaches David Raih and Jerry Sullivan on footwork and route details, he said.

“I think it’s good to know the whole offense. I think I’m getting it down,” Isabella added.

No Christian Kirk

Arizona announced on Friday that Christian Kirk would not play on Sunday as he recovers from an ankle injury he suffered in Week 4 against the Seahawks.

The good news: the injury wasn’t as bad as the team first feared. For most of the week, he hadn’t been officially ruled out for the game against the Bengals.

“He’s come quite a ways,” Kingsbury said. “I think, like I talked about, it looked really bad on Sunday and we kind of expected the worst. But he’s come a long way in a short time. So I’m hopeful it will be sooner rather than later.”

Kirk was on the side of the open portion of practice Thursday, going through a strength-training exercise that required him to stand on one leg at a time and catch the football.

“He’s young Wolverine, he heals very fast,” Larry Fitzgerald said.

Fellow wideout Damiere Byrd is questionable.

Cooper could play right away

Pharoh Cooper, who spent the end of 2018 and the entire preseason with Arizona before being cut, very well could be thrust into a key role against the Bengals just days after re-signing with the Cardinals.

“He will be involved. He’s a guy who was right there on the cusp. We like what he did (in camp). I think he’s a really good fit for our system,” Kingsbury said. “I think he’ll fit right back in.”

Kirk and Byrd missing time would leave Fitzgerald as the only other sure thing at slot receiver after Cooper.

With Kirk out and Byrd questionable, Cooper could also field punts.

“I was only gone two, three weeks,” said Cooper, who played one game with the Bengals this season after Arizona released him. “I know the whole offense. I wouldn’t be surprised if I got back plugged in playing.”

While second-year pro Trent Sherfield also could slide into the slot, he will likely continue to take reps with rookie KeeSean Johnson outside.

More Edmonds, TEs on deck?

In Week 3, the Cardinals saw a mini-boost in their tight end usage. That didn’t trend last week against Seattle, and the team has only used 11 personnel of one back and one tight end 23% of the time this season.

Every single other NFL team uses that grouping the majority of their snaps. The 32 teams combine for a 70% usage rate of 11 personnel league-wide, per Sharp Football Stats.

Arizona is the outlier by being in 10 personnel with four receivers and no tight end 64% of the time.

Does that change with backup running back Chase Edmonds expecting to take on an expanded role? Does he line up essentially as a receiver in 10 personnel?

And even though tight ends Maxx Williams and Charles Clay have fared well the few times they’re called upon, it’s a wonder if they aren’t more involved simply to throw the Bengals off.

Bengals confident in young WRs

The Bengals have bigger names at wide receiver than the Cardinals when healthy.

It’s just that two of their top receivers aren’t.

A.J. Green (ankle) and John Ross (sternoclavicular) are out, leaving 2016 second-round pick Tyler Boyd (27 catches, 283 yards) and 6-foot-5 2018 seventh-round pick Auden Tate (11 catches, 144 yards) as the top receiving threats.

Cincinnati head coach Zac Taylor has confidence in both of them.

“John Ross was really hurt all spring, and so was A.J. Green, so the guys we have right now are the guys we’ve had, since Aug. 15, really,” he said.

Oh, and the Bengals also have a weapon in Tyler Eifert, a pass-catching tight end who has been quiet this year with just 11 receptions for 81 yards and a touchdown.

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