Chiefs’ Latest Comments Don’t Bode Well for Kadarius Toney Making Roster

With training camp winding down, the Chiefs may not have seen enough of Toney to get him on the 53-man roster later this month.

Jul 22, 2024; St. Joseph, MO, USA; Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Kadarius Toney (19) walks down the hill from the locker room to the fields prior to training camp at Missouri Western State University. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports / Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

The Kansas City Chiefs' wide receiver room continues to be a hot topic as training camp winds down, and for good reason. A spot or two is still squarely up for grabs, with several players competing for that finite amount of 53-man roster security.

Kadarius Toney, who was acquired via an in-season trade in 2022, is one of those end-of-depth-chart candidates. Unfortunately for him, his stock appears to be cratering instead of gaining steam now that one preseason outing is in the books.

Toney is entrenched in a battle with Mecole Hardman, Skyy Moore, Nikko Remigio and Justyn Ross for a supporting wideout role. Not all of those players will make the cut, but all except Toney played in the club's preseason opener against the Jacksonville Jaguars. With that in mind, head coach Andy Reid didn't have a ringing endorsement of Toney when he spoke to the media this week.

"Yeah, I mean, he was out here today working," Reid said. "It's just consistency. It's just a matter [of that]. With the competition, I tell all of them that. There's a ton of competition, and you've got to be on your game with that."

For the second training camp in a row, Toney is nursing an injury that's limited his availability. This time, it's an ankle ailment for the former first-round pick. On top of that, each of the players competing with him has a reason to make the team. Because Marquise "Hollywood" Brown is injured, Hardman's veteran experience could be relied on. Moore, a 2022 second-round pick, continues to get reps that coincide with someone who's set to pass through cutdown day. Remigio has shined in camp and doubles as a special teams option. Ross made a fantastic play in Saturday's game and is a different receiver archetype than the Chiefs otherwise have.

Where does that leave Toney? Whether you use context clues or put stock in the unofficial team depth chart, the conclusion is likely the same. He's on the outside looking in.

The problem is that Toney is running out of time to make a profound impact. Offensive coordinator Matt Nagy echoes Reid's sentiment, indicating that it's a matter of health and making his case.

"Kadarius, again, same thing," Nagy said. "It's just making sure he's just got to get healthy and get out there so we can see him and see the reps."

A year ago, Toney was expected to be a top-two wideout on the Chiefs. After a season filled with injuries and underwhelming play, he's now fighting for a spot that may have passed him up. His fifth-year option has already been declined, so this is effectively his last chance to stick. This weekend's game against the Detroit Lions – if he plays in it – is absolutely massive for his future.

It's just this writer's take, but Toney could be auditioning for another team just as much as he's doing so for the Chiefs right now. Kansas City sounds like a franchise whose patience has run thin.

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