The Baltimore RavensĀ are turning to a familiar source in their ongoing search for help at wide receiver, the son of Qadry Ismail. He tallied two 1,000-yard seasons and helped the 2000 Ravens win the franchiseās first Super Bowl, now his son, undrafted free agent Qadir Ismail, will join the team.
His addition to the 90-man roster after a tryout at the Ravensā rookie minicamp, was confirmed byĀ ESPNās Jamison HensleyĀ on Monday, May 20.
QadryĀ told Hensley: āIām choking up now. Iām having a hard time with it in a way ā in a very good way. Itās just fun. It really is. Itās a cool thing. Iām not speechless, but as a dad, obviously, it takes on a whole different meaning. Iām so proud of him and so excited that he gets to wear purple.ā
Ismail the youngerās chances of making the final, 53-man roster will be slim, but he has a notable NFL lineage the Ravens know better than most. Now, coaches must focus on helping the converted quarterback refine his game as a wideout and give him the chance to match his fatherās legacy in Baltimore.
Qadry Ismail Established Impressive Legacy for Ravens
Replicating what his father did in Baltimore would be a dream outcome for rookie Ismail. It wonāt be easy, though.
Not after Qadry proved to be one of the more astute free-agent signings in franchise history. He arrived from theĀ New Orleans SaintsĀ in 1999 and promptly snaggedĀ 68 catches for 1,105 yardsĀ and six touchdowns.
Another 1,000-yard campaign followed two years later, when Ismail senior got his hands on 74 receptions, amassed 1,059 yards and scored seven touchdowns. What made the numbers more impressive was how Ismail posted these statistics during an era when the Ravens were beset by mediocre quarterbacks.
He caught passes from Tony Banks, Trent Dilfer and Elvis Grbac. It was Dilfer who led the 2000 Ravens, propped up more than a little by a defense for the ages, to a Super Bowl win over theĀ New York Giants.
Ismail played his part, burning Big Blue for a 44-yard catch. It was one of a number of big plays Dilfer and his receivers manufactured to shock a pretty tough Giants defense.
Lifting the Lombardi Trophy cemented a legacy for Ismail. Itās a tough act to follow, but Qadir can still have value for the Ravens.
New WR Will Offer Ravens Something Different
Ismailās son spent the last two seasons playing at Samford, where he emerged as a size and speed mismatch. At 6-foot-6, Qadir will give the Ravens something different in a wide receiver corps defined more by smaller, swifter pass-catchers than physical playmakers.
Thereās room for a taller target when 5-foot-9Ā Zay FlowersĀ is the go-to target for quarterbackĀ Lamar Jackson. Ismail could play his way into extra reps, provided he shows some nuance as a receiver.
That wonāt be easy for a player who began as a quarterback at Villanova. Although he switched to wideout, Ismail tallied 11 catches in 2021 and just 16 more the next two years at Samford, perĀ Matt Ryan of Ravens.com.
Signing an intriguing prospect with this much upside makes sense when the Ravens are still searching for ways to get better at receiver.