Because the Chiefs navigated their post-Tyreek Hill offense, the entrance workplace sought reinforcement on the receiver place. One of many group’s most notable WR acquisitions was Kadarius Toney, who the Chiefs acquired from the Giants halfway by means of the 2022 marketing campaign. Whereas Toney has received a pair of Tremendous Bowl rings throughout his year-plus in Kansas Metropolis, the wideout hasn’t lived as much as the billing. Now, with solely a yr remaining on his rookie contract, it’s unsure if he’ll even attain the 2024 marketing campaign with the Chiefs.
A 2021 first-round decide by the Giants, Toney confirmed flashes throughout his rookie marketing campaign, ending with 39 catches for 420 yards. Nonetheless, accidents shortly proved a problem in each 2021 and 2022, resulting in the Giants deciding to chop bait. The Chiefs swooped in and purchased the intriguing wideout, sending New York a future third- and sixth-round decide.
Throughout his first season in Kansas Metropolis, Toney struggled to carve out a big function, ending with 14 receptions in seven video games. He confirmed out a bit in that yr’s playoffs, ending with 50 yards in Kansas Metropolis’s Divisional Spherical victory earlier than setting the Tremendous Bowl report with a 65-yard punt return (whereas additionally hauling in a landing). With JuJu Smith-Schuster and Mecole Hardman out the door, Toney may step into a significant function with Patrick Mahomes heading into 2023.
Sadly, it was extra of the identical for the third-year professional. Toney couldn’t emerge forward of Rashee Rice, Justin Watson, and Marquez Valdes-Scantling (and, after all, TE Travis Kelce). The Chiefs even went out and re-acquired Hardman, resulting in Toney being inactive for 4 of the group’s remaining seven video games, plus every of the Chiefs’ 4 playoff contests.
Heading into the 2024 marketing campaign, Toney faces much more competitors than final yr. The Chiefs shortly added Marquise Brown on a one-year settlement, they usually moved up within the first spherical to pick Xavier Worthy. That leaves Toney to compete with lots of the similar WRs he couldn’t supplant in the course of the 2023 season, however there are fewer roster spots this time.
Rice’s future is in query following some troubling off-the-field incidents, however the 2023 second-round decide notably completed his rookie season with 935 yards from scrimmage. Hardman and Watson have been forward of Toney on the finish of the 2023 season, and the group can be nonetheless rostering 2022 second-round decide Skyy Moore. Even when accounting for Rice’s unsure roster standing, Toney must leap a minimum of one participant to make the roster.
The Chiefs unsurprisingly declined Toney’s fifth-year possibility again in Might, making the broad receiver a free agent after this season. Transferring on from his $2.5M wage in 2024 wouldn’t present any cap reduction, and the useless cap cost isn’t sufficient to make his minimize untenable. With solely three seasons beneath his belt, Toney can be topic to waivers, and his draft pedigree may very well be sufficient for a group to chunk. Toney will doubtless hit free company earlier than settling for a decrease wage (and/or perhaps a apply squad gig).
