He didn’t make it with the Baltimore Ravens, despite a Super Bowl-laded family connection, but Qadir Ismail is getting a fresh start in the NFL courtesy of the New York Giants.
Ismail was added to the practice squad for Big Blue on Thursday, August 28. That’s according to Dan Duggan of The Athletic, who pointed out “the 6-foot-7, 232-pounder spent last season on the Ravens’ practice squad as an undrafted rookie out of Samford. He switched from QB to WR in college and then WR to TE in the NFL.”
There’s a certain historical irony about this move. Namely, in how Ismail is the son of former Ravens wide receiver Qadry Ismail.
The latter was part of the 2000 team that won the franchise its first Super Bowl. In a quirky twist of fate, that 34-7 triumph came at the expense of the Giants.
Now the younger Ismail gets a chance to make good on impressive physical dimensions and athletic upside. Those qualities can be useful for a Giants roster needing a playmaker to emerge at tight end, but there’s further irony in how the Ravens could also use bodies at the position to ease injury concerns about established names, particularly Isaiah Likely.
Ravens May Regret Not Claiming Qadir Ismail
The Ravens made Ismail senior, who posted two 1,000-yard campaigns in Baltimore and caught three passes for 30 yards in Super Bowl 35, happy when they signed his son a year ago. A switch to tight end soon followed once the rookie impressed.
Ultimately, plays like this catch weren’t enough to help the younger Ismail crack the roster.
Ismail missing out was somewhat surprising, despite the Ravens’ obvious riches at the position. He’s a size mismatch against most coverage, somebody with the frame and reach to high-point the football in traffic.
Those are things franchise quarterback Lamar Jackson would surely appreciate, but Ismail never caught a pass from No. 8 in a meaningful game. Instead, Ismail was dispatched to the practice squad and began this offseason in the same capacity with the Las Vegas Raiders.
The Silver and Black not including Ismail on the final 53-man roster might’ve been the cue for the Ravens to swoop. They didn’t and the decision may look foolhardy if their main tight ends can’t stay healthy.
Tight End Health a Concern for Ravens
While the Ravens made a key decision about Likely’s roster status on cutdown day, they are still far from certain the moving target will be ready for Week 1. That’s a problem when veteran All-Pro Mark Andrews has missed some recent practices, per Ravens.com Staff Writer Clifton Brown.
It means the Ravens could find themselves heavily reliant on Charlie Kolar when they travel to Highmark Stadium to face last season’s playoff conquerors the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, September 7.
Kolar is a talented and complete tight end, but the Ravens lack alternatives on a lean depth chart. Ismail could’ve helped, something he’ll get the chance to do for the Giants, who recently dumped a tight end favored by starting quarterback, 10-time Pro Bowler Russell Wilson.
The Giants are proceeding with unrealized potential at the position, so adding one more prospect makes sense, but the Ravens might want to think about doing the same.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Son of Ravens Super Bowl Great Signs With Giants appeared first on Heavy Sports.