The NFL career of Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Kadarius Toney has been one of numerous waves of ups and downs.
The New York Giants gave up on Toney less than two years after drafting him in 2021, and now the Chiefs could be at a crossroads with him after about the same amount of time. Toney's natural athletic abilities are obvious, but that can only get an NFL player so far before they have to put it all together.
A year after being projected to be the Chiefs' No. 1 receiver, Toney currently finds himself on the roster bubble with K.C. Injuries and inconsistent play continue to haunt him, and he could be running out of chances.
Coach Andy Reid has answered several questions about Toney this past week, with his answers consistently coming back to one thing - Toney has to stay healthy.
“I mean, you want to be there every day," Reid said when asked how much wiggle room Toney has. "Any time you miss, you miss – especially during install days, you’re missing a load there. He’s got to take care of what he’s got and get himself back out there when he can.”
Reid also shared what he said to Toney after he injured his ankle almost two weeks ago.
“At that time, I didn’t know he was banged up. It was just (like), ‘let’s keep rolling.’ He had a play before that, and he went up to get it (the ball). I think that’s probably where he did get hurt, but I didn’t know that at the time. (We) just (have to) stay on top of it. (We) just (have to) keep squeezing.”
An ensuing back injury cost Toney a crucial opportunity to play in the Chiefs' first preseason game this past Saturday. Toney returned to practice on Monday , and Reid reiterated to him that competition at receiver this year is stiff.
“He (Kadarius Toney) was out here today, working. It’s just consistency. It’s just the matter that – and with the competition, I tell all of them (the wide receivers) that. There’s a ton of competition and you’ve got to be on your game with that.”
It's tough to be consistent when you're injured all the time. Toney's Week 1 outing against the Detroit Lions last year is a prime example. After missing all of training camp and preseason, the Chiefs still trotted Toney out as their No. 1 receiver. As a result, he dropped four passes and caught just one for one yard.
That would set the tone for the rest of Toney's 2023 season, failing to make any real impact whatsoever. He also battled through more injuries and was inactive for the final three weeks of the regular season, as well as the Chiefs' entire postseason run. Fast forward to today, Toney is buried on the depth chart after missing precious playing time.
It's understandable why K.C. has been patient with Toney. He made some big plays for the team in 2022, including a touchdown reception and a record-breaking punt return in Super Bowl LVII. Reid has been creative in his usage of Toney, including getting him more involved at running back .
With fellow receiver Hollywood Brown down with a shoulder injury , that gives Toney yet chance to step up, as he can match Brown's speed and would be a natural replacement for him. This Saturday's Week 2 preseason game will be a huge opportunity for Toney to show that he can be a reliable playmaker for the team.
If he can't capitalize or he gets hurt again, it may be time for the Chiefs to cut ties with the fourth-year receiver.
Related: Latest Chiefs 53-man roster, practice squad projection following preseason Week 1
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