Early in training camp, Head Coach Andy Reid decided to utilize one of his underachievers from last season in a new role. Though Kadarius Toney has mad skills as a receiver, he’s never been consistent, so the team is going to try him at running back.
For the record, I’m a big Kadarius Toney fan. Yet, I’m a realist regarding the turbulent two seasons he’s been a member of the Kansas City Chiefs. In 2022, he was sensational, and his punt return and touchdown catch were invaluable plays that allowed the Chiefs to win Super Bowl LVII.
A year later, Toney wasn’t dressed for Super Bowl LVIII. He was healthy enough to play, but between some off-the-field comments he made on social media and the plethora of dropped balls on the field, he was an afterthought for the roster.
The nail in the stop of his NFL career occurred when he lined up offsides on what would have been one of the greatest plays of all time. Against the Bills, he was within inches of completing the lateral from Travis Kelce that shook the core of Arrowhead Stadium.
Still, that moment ended the team’s trust in Toney. Such a small detail was missed, and that put him on the shelf for the remainder of the season and the postseason.
Though Toney didn’t participate in the offseason programs, he is in camp and now faces the task of performing at a higher level in a contract year. The Chiefs declined his 2025 option, so he’ll be a free agent after this season.
Toney has talent, and I maintain he’s a better football player when he’s also playing special teams. Though the Chiefs have so many options now at the returner position, if Toney is making plays on special teams, he generally makes plays on offense.
So, with an already loaded yet very young backfield, Toney is getting an opportunity to show what he can do without the pressure of lining up at receiver all the time. This isn’t the first time the Chiefs have tried something like this.
They experimented with Mecole Hardman two years ago, which didn’t fair well.
Reid has a bolstered wide receiver position, and if the team does not carry seven of them into the regular season, Toney is battling Hardman and Skyy Moore for one spot.
The Chiefs first preseason game is still roughly ten days away, and with pads about to come on in practice, we might see a glimpse of Reid’s thinking regarding Toney.
Either way, this is probably his last chance to prove he belongs in Kansas City, and for the team’s sake, considering his overall talent, I hope he proves his doubters wrong.
