Kadarius Toney could have wide-open door to playing time

If Mecole Hardman remains out for the Kansas City Chiefs, Andy Reid might unleash Kadarius Toney sooner than expected.

When the Kansas City Chiefs slipped in an unexpected deal before the NFL’s trade deadline for New York Giants wide receiver Kadarius Toney, it felt like a solid buy-low venture for general manager Brett Veach to secure some future value at wide receiver. While that might still be the primary play, Chiefs Kingdom could also see plenty of present production if the door opens wide for Toney to score playing time in Week 10.

At present, Mecole Hardman has missed both Wednesday’s and Thursday’s practices for the Chiefs with an abdomen injury. The wide receiver comes with a similar skill set to Toney, and he has been a considerable spark in the offense for the last few weeks, with five touchdowns in the last three games, including three in a dominant win over the San Francisco 49ers.

Last week, the Chiefs made sure to get Toney involved at least with a handful of plays to get him situated within the offense and the results were solid, if a bit quiet. While he wasn’t loading up production for the box score, Toney did show off some blocking skills, toughness after the catch, and his acclaimed athleticism that earned him a first-round designation back in 2021.

If the Chiefs are intent on giving him room to move, then that was going to mean others would have to be cut out. On Sunday, it was Marquez Valdes-Scantling who saw his typical amount of opportunities shrink in the face of too many mouths to feed. However, if Hardman is going to remain out, Toney might have a wide-open path to more playing time without having to upset anyone else.

Given the similar skill set, the Chiefs could really see Toney utilized in some of the same ways as Hardman, from returning punts to seeing scripted plays on offense intended to utilize him in space or as a decoy for defenses to respect. Of course, Toney is also capable of shouldering a considerable load in a given game, as the Giants saw in Week 5 last year when Toney caught 10 passes for 189 yards.

Fans will be excited to see what Toney can do if given a chance. It will not only mean further production this season as the Chiefs have loads of options for quarterback Patrick Mahomes, but it will also be a sign of what’s to come next season when so many players are set to hit free agency.