Chiefs expected to cut controversial wide receiver Kadarius Toney

The Kansas City Chiefs’ experiments with mercurial wide receiver Kadarius Toney are over.

According to a report from ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Kansas City released Toney after almost two full seasons with the franchise. His promising performance in the Chiefs’ preseason game against the Chicago Bears last Thursday doesn’t appear to have been enough to earn him a spot on the 53-man roster.

Head coach Andy Reid’s press conference following the game heavily hinted that he was on the bubble, referencing his competition to make the team.

The former first-round draft pick of the New York Giants in 2021 was traded around the deadline in 2022 to Kansas City. After a promising finish to that season and contributing to the Super Bowl victory against the Philadelphia Eagles, he was expected to play a more significant role in 2023.

He was hampered by multiple injuries, including knee surgery at the start of training camp, finishing the season with 169 yards and a touchdown on 27 receptions.

Toney’s off-the-field issues became more problematic through his social media activity and unexplained behavior. He suffered dropped passes and unforced errors, none more significant than the offensive offsides call against him in a late-season loss to the Buffalo Bills at Arrowhead Stadium.

He ends his Chiefs tenure with more questions about what could have been and disappointment because of his high-caliber potential.