Can Kadarius Toney or even Skyy Moore really fill Jerick McKinnon's role for Chiefs?

Outside of their second Super Bowl rings being gifted to them, last season was one to forget for Kadarius Toney and Skyy Moore.

Not only did Toney's drops become a major focal point on the team, but his health was once again a factor that kept him from playing as many snaps as the team would have liked. As for Moore, the Chiefs' former second-round pick out of Western Michigan had a sophomore slump that left many people scratching their heads as to his utility in this Kansas City offense.

That was last year, however, and all eyes are on the three-peat this coming season while hoping for both Toney and Moore to find better fortunes in 2024. Well, "all eyes" except for 32-year-old running back Jerick "Jet" McKinnon, a free agent who finds himself looking for a new team after three years in Kansas City.

McKinnon did quite a lot in the backfield for the Chiefs. He was an excellent blocker and great at getting out into the flat and creating space when needed. He's also solid enough as a rusher to generate production when asked.. Now that he's gone, the depth chart looks thin and lacks an obvious replacement.

So what's stopping Toney or Moore from having a breakout season while being listed as RB3 where McKinnon thrived over the past three years?

The Chiefs are already trying out the idea

So far this training camp has already seen Toney being used in the running back drills (below), something he's seen before but never truly utilized often during the season. That could change with Rashee Rice, Marquise "Hollywood" Brown, and rookie wideout Xavier Worthy.

Toney, who has been used as a running back or at least as a distraction in the backfield before, has the speed and the ability to break ankles at every level of the field. His major issue would be an inability to match the blocking ability that McKinnon excelled at. The former Florida Gator can get around edges just fine, but for the coaching staff (and Mahomes) to believe in him in game-winning situations, he's going to have to build up some trust from the backfield first.

Moore, on the other hand, was a running quarterback in high school before heading to Western Michigan and switching to receiver. Not only that, he's received practice reps at running back dating all the way back to his first offseason. Moore has experience being the guy who has to run through the line to get the extra yard, but can he do it at the NFL level with the same type of excellence that McKinnon has shown over the past three years?

With Moore working more and more with the practice squad players, and likely fighting for a roster spot behind a litany of talented receivers, he would do well to consider taking the RB3 (or RB2) role behind Isiah Pacheco. It's something that has even been mentioned by former teammates when discussing Moore's versatility at running back.

How each of them stack up against McKinnon

McKinnon has never been known to back down from a battle, even if it's against a big bad lineman or linebacker who is a head-and-a-half taller than him. He showed it on the final play of Super Bowl LVIII when he blocked Nick Bosa long enough for Patrick Mahomes to find Mecole Hardman in the end zone.

That block came from a 31-year-old McKinnon who stands 5'9" and weighs 200 pounds who was coming off a groin injury that was supposed to sideline him for the rest of the season. That by itself is impressive, but could a much younger Toney or a similar-sized Moore made the same play?

Toney is roughly three inches taller and 10-15 pounds lighter than McKinnon, while Moore is almost identical to Jet in height and weight. This means that they could fit into McKinnon's spot (or even his uniform) with some ease, but just because they look the same does not mean they can play the same.

When Moore was coming out of Western Michigan he was seen as a small receiver with an "ability to operate inside and outside" that made him useful, but he was also listed as a very "willing blocker" for his teammates. This mindset has not changed, even with a few injuries and a fanbase that has chirped at him for his lack of production during his first 30 games in the NFL.

Toney has played plenty of snaps in both New York and in Kansas City at the running back position, but he is rarely used as a blocker and almost always receives a jet sweep or checkdown pass when put in the backfield. But that doesn't mean he can't build up the strength to battle a Bosa brother or even some of the scariest blitzers in the league.

Just like the receiver room last year...

Last season the wide receiver depth chart moved in ebbs and flows, changing from Toney at the top to Justin Watson to eventually Rice. That trial by error and WR1-by-committee feel that the Chiefs fans all saw throughout the first half of the season might be exactly what we get at the RB2-3 position this year.

Reid's playbook, which many former players have praised and hated at the same time, can fill the void with any number of players who might be healthy enough or fit the role at the time needed. This means that there could be some sweeps where fans see Moore taking multiple handoffs, then the next week it could be Toney as the second-leading rusher behind Pacheco or Mahomes.

It's important not to get too ahead of ourselves as fans, especially with Reid and Mahomes safely and securely putting together an offense that has been proven to win no matter who is on the receiving end of the ball. But declaring that Toney or Moore might be the replacement for McKinnon could be the right move for Reid as it frees up a receiver spot and lets fans know that the two problematic players from last season are working towards redemption at a more useful position for them.

Either way, players like Moore, Toney, Hardman and even Hollywood Brown are going to get their chance at running the ball throughout the season. The jet sweeps, the misdirection plays, and the double and triple-option plays that look like they're out of some crazy high school playbook are always on the table. That means that players like Moore and Toney, who are both solidified on the hot seat this season, need to step up when asked to be the running back instead of the receiver.