Kadarius Toney's Fit with the Bears

Analysis: The Bears are short on receivers and it might seem to make sense to pursue a trade for Kadarius Toney but does it really?

In many cases, when an opposing player becomes available for a trade the Bears can't even think about such a move.

Lacking a first-round pick, the Bears couldn't seriously pursue a player like Deebo Samuel. If he even really is available for a trade⁠—and that's a big if. They simply don't have the trade compensation for it because they dealt away their first-round pick to the Giants to draft Justin Fields. Next year's first-round pick just doesn't do the trick in big trades. It needs to be this year's and then more.

Ironically enough the player the Giants used that 20th pick the Bears gave them in Round 1 last year was Kadarius Toney. Now he's the latest player supposedly available for a trade. A story in the New York Daily News cited an unnamed source saying Toney would be available for the right price.

Considering Toney has only been in the NFL one year and didn't produce at a level expected of the 20th pick, the Bears might not need to surrender their first-round pick for next year or one of their second-round picks this year to obtain the former Florida slot receiver.

Toney might be worth more than his stats show mainly because he had 39 catches for a bad offense, one that wound up leaning on Mike Glennon at quarterback, of all people.

If Toney really is available the Bears should look into it because this is a former first-round pick, but they shouldn't be willing to part with anything more than a Day 3 pick because they could easily get the same kind of production Toney had as a rookie from any one of four or five slot receivers they could draft this year.

Here are the reasons they ultimately should stay away from this deal.

1. Toney's Rookie Struggles

The 39 catches Toney had over 10 games played were not impressive. He had 10 of his catches in one game against Dallas for 189 yards, then did very little the rest of the year. The 10 catches sound great but they came largely against soft coverage because the Cowboys won the game in a rout, 44-20. It's not difficult for a slot receiver to get open underneath against soft zone being played by a defense that has a big lead. Beyond that game, Toney also had seven catches the same way in a blowout loss to Tampa Bay.

The only game that gave rise to hope Toney might live up to his draft status was Week 4 in a 27-21 win over New Orleans, when he made six receptions foor 78 yards. He had four games with three receptions or less and another four-catch game against the Chiefs when he managed only 26 yards.

Any way you slice it, he had a disappointing season.

2. QB Wasn't Really an Issue

Anyone looking at Toney's stats could laugh and say it's easy to come up with only 39 receptions when Mike Glennon is your quarterback. That didn't apply to Toney. He only played in one game after Glennon came on for injured Daniel Jones. Injuries or COVID-19 sidelined Toney six of the final seven games of the year. Jones was done starting in Week 13, the Giants' 12th game. So the poor quality backup QB wasn't even on the field for most of Toney's stats.

3. No Touchdowns

The worst stat Toney had was not getting in the end zone even though he played more than half the season. Anthony Miller managed to score seven TDs as a rookie for the Bears in 2018 and wasn't a first-round pick. Then he was gone a year before the end of his rookie contract. Toney might be a rookie but that's no excuse for never getting into the end zone.

4. Other Poor Numbers

Toney's quarterbacks had a passer rating of 82.5 when they targeted him, which is solid mediocre, just like his 10.8 yards per catch. He was 85th in the league at average per catch. His 68.4% catch percentage ranked 88th. His 21 first-down receptions was 109th in the NFL. Nothing he did indicated possible future success beyond the 5.8 yards after the catch he averaged. That was 57th in the league.

5. Off-Season Workout

It's voluntary work, but most veterans know in the NFL it's mandatory/voluntary, especially for younger, unproven players. In a coach's first year, when the system is going into place, it behooves a young receiver to make himself available for all voluntary work. Toney isn't participating for the Giants, much the way an older, proven player or one looking for a new contract might stay away. If a receiver isn't willing to participate in his current team's offseason, what's to say he'd do it with another team and another new coaching staff? The offseason work is big for quarterback and receivers and Toney is missing it. Why trade for someone who isn't going to practice when the team really needs him to be learning a new offense?

Former Giants player and broadcast analyst Amani Toomer summed it up best regarding Toney's missed offseason work after the hiring of Brian Daboll as coach. Toomer was quoted by the New York Post as saying: “Bottom line: If I have a new coach, I’m there every day.’’

6. No Special Teams

If a player is not going to participate in special teams, they better be pretty special when the offense has the ball. Toney didn't get involved on special teams. He was on the field for only two plays all year. And he definitely wasn't special on offense. A team would be better off with a Day 3 player who could put up the same type of numbers in the offense and also would not resist helping on special teams.

7. Attitude

There were concerns about his attitude toward football and a commitment to it when he was coming into the draft. Some saw a red flag because his vehicle was stopped and he was reportedly in possession of an AR-15 rifle. He also had a suspension for "not living up to the Gator standard" while at Florida.  Toss in the non-participation with his team now in the offseason and there seem to be distractions popping up all the time.

8. Giants Decision

If the Giants are making him available after only one season, how much can he possibly be worth in a trade? The Giants are not exactly bubbling over with talent. Here is a player who couldn't stay healthy and focused as a rookie and they are looking into dealing him already. If that's the case, how much is his real market value? A Day 3 pick is the answer and the Bears don't even have a fourth-round pick, so from their standpoint it would be fifth round or later. 

9. The Bears Offense

The Bears lack enough phyisical receivers to run their current offense, as it is. The ground game and the quick screen game in this attack require good blocking from receivers. They need to add receivers willing to do the team-oriented things necessary to make this work. Toney hasn't shown this commitment at all and the Bears would be better off using their own draft picks to find someone at the position than trade good draft picks for Toney.

10. That Era Has Ended

The Bears just finished an era when the GM threw good draft picks at about anything on the trade market. That GM is gone and they don't need to start another trend like this under Ryan Poles. They're building with the draft,, not trades and free agency.

Twitter: BearDigest@BearsOnMaven