Former 2021 first-round wide receiver Kadarius Toney found himself on the trading block after appearing in 10-games for the New York Giants.
The 2022 NFL Draft will undoubtedly have some trades go down. One name fans will probably hear traded is a 2021 first-round pick, Kadarius Toney.
The former Florida Gators wideout found himself on the trading block after appearing in just 10-games for the G-Men. It comes as a shock, given how underutilized he was in Jason Garrett’s offense.
According to the New York Daily News, the Giants’ new regime isn’t a fan of Toney as a team player.
"[Brian] Daboll admitted on Wednesday that [Kadarius] Toney still didn’t have the new playbook because he hadn’t shown up."
Toney didn’t take long to refute the statements alleged by his new head coach via his Instagram story. Toney warned fans to not buy into everything in a post that read: “If you believe everything on the internet, you gullible.”
If the Giants’ statement is true, Toney will need a team with a stable locker room environment where he can thrive under the tutelage of solid leadership.
We may never get the true reason why the Giants opted to move on from a guy with so much potential. Either way, there are some great landing spots or a dude with Toney’s skill set.
Kadarius Toney landing spot no. 5: Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are one of the most complete teams in the NFL. After trading away a ton of picks, for Deshaun Watson, they feel like they have the quarterback who can help you take the next step.
Whenever Watson hits the field, the Browns will be Super Bowl contenders. However, they need to add another weapon or two at wide receiver. Amari Cooper was an excellent addition as the No. 1 wideout.
He’s an elite route-runner who’ll make Watson’s job easier. On the other side is Donavan Peoples-Jones, a boundary-wide receiver who does his best work down the field. That’s where Kadarius Toney comes in.
The former Gators wideout can step in as the No. 3 option. He’d work well in the slot getting free releases and operating with option routes. He’s a big play waiting to happen thanks to his 4.39 speed and shiftiness.
He’s slippery after the catch with the ability to develop into a good route runner. As a Brown, Toney wouldn’t have to be the focus of the offense could be a low-risk, high-reward option for the Browns.
Kadarius Toney landing spot no. 4: San Francisco 49ers
Rumors are already circulating about where the San Francisco 49ers may end up trading Deebo Samuel. He did, after all, demand a trade. If they do, they need someone who can come in and replace him when he does.
Kadarius Toney is a potential tick-for-tat replacement for Samuel’s skill set. Imagine putting the former Giants’ first-round pick lining up in the backfield on sweets and tosses. It’s not difficult to imagine him in Kyle Shanahan’s offense. He’s electric with the ball in his hands in the same way Samuel is.
While he’s not the best route-runner, he’ll get the ball in space and dominate with the ball in his hands in the same way that Deebo Samuel could.
Yes, he is a smaller version of the Pro Bowl wide receiver, but speed isn’t a question. Look no further than his 4.3 40-yard dash.
Even if they don’t trade Samuel, adding another playmaker won’t hurt. In fact, Trey Lance will need all the help he can get in his first year as a starter. The 49ers have two third-round picks.
John Lynch can part with one or both for a guy with game-changing potential.
A lineup with Deebo Samuel, Kadarius Toney, Brandon Aiyuk, and George Kittle isn’t bad.
Kadarius Toney landing spot no. 3: Buffalo Bills
When you have a young franchise quarterback, the goal should be to surround him with weapons. The Bills have a solid enough wide receiver to where Toney doesn’t have to play a pivotal role right away.
The former Gator can come in as the number three wide receiver and get groomed to be the replacement for Jamison Crowder. It’s not that Crowder is a terrible option, but he’s on a one-year deal. On the flip side, the Bills will be able to have Tony for at least three more seasons.
Toney is a yard after the catch type of guy. It’s the same role he’ll play for the Bills until he becomes a primary target. Adding weapons around Josh Allen will only increase the Bills’ chances of repeating as division champions.
Gabriel Davis is an absolute beast who continued to flash greatness. Stefan Diggs is still one of the league’s primer wideouts. Giving them a third or fourth option will absolutely improve their offense.
Admittedly, this may not happen, given what Brian Daboll said about him. Since the first-year Giants head coach has a connection with the Bills, he could warn his former team about a player he dubbed as troubled.
Kadarius Toney landing spot no. 2: Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are one of the teams looking for more weapons at wide receiver. Julio Jones was brought in to take the pressure off AJ Brown as another outlet for their Ryan Tannehill.
He proved to be a failed experiment for an offense that struggled to make plays without Derrick Henry. Even without Arthur Smith, Titans’ head coach Mike Vrabel will continue to lean on Henry as the focal point of their offense.
The Titans need a wide receiver who does his best work after the catch. Kadarius Toney is the ideal wideout to pair with AJ Brown. AJ Brown has yet to prove that he’s a number one receiver, but the Titans are a run-first team.
The former first-round pick can operate inside as a slot man and do things that Julio Jones was not able to do for the Titans. He’s still young and looks more like a true No. 2 wide receiver.
Ryan Tannehill works best off play-action and does a great job getting the ball quick. It’s easy to imagine him getting the ball out quickly and into Toney‘s hands.
A player like Toney will bring the Titans back to the glory days when they were the most successful with Tannehill under center.
Kadarius Toney landing spot no. 1: Kansas City Chiefs
You had to see this coming with the Kansas City Chiefs.. I’ll begin by saying that there is no direct replacement for Tyreek Hill. However, if they were going to replace the Cheetah, Kadarius Toney is exactly the type of player they need.
So, instead of drafting a player in the 2022 NFL Draft, as I predicted, they can instead opt for a playmaker who won’t cost them much. In his short stint with the New York Giants, Toney proved how electric he could be with the ball in his hands.
Offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy and head coach Andy Reid know how to get the ball in the hands of their playmakers.
Stylistically, he fits for the Chiefs in terms of being able to line up and make plays in the screen game and catch and run situations. He doesn’t need to come in and be anything more. They have a wide receiver room =thirsting for a star.
In time, Toney can be that guy. The Giants aren’t likely to get anything more than a third-round pick from any team. Given the Chiefs have two third-round picks — they can part with one. Worst-case scenario, they can trade one of their second-round picks.