It's quite possible, even probable, that the decision had already been made regarding Kadarius Toney's future with the Kansas City Chiefs. After inconsistent play, mental errors, and continuous health concerns, it's entirely plausible that the Chiefs were going to cut ties with the wide receiver one way or the other before active roster cuts were due in late August.
If that door was left open, however, Toney found a way to shut it once and for all.
The Chiefs hosted the Detroit Lions for their second preseason game at Arrowhead on Saturday and the game was a chance for several players to showcase what they could do. For Toney, it was more of a reminder of what he cannot do, and after a fairly disastrous performance, it's hard to see the Chiefs giving him any real chance of making the active roster.
The Chiefs' exhibition against the Lions was a frustrating one for Toney in more ways than one, but it largely rests on an odd play in which the wideout somehow was penalized twice. On a first-and-10 in the second quarter, the Chiefs handed the ball to Deneric Prince for a short run. Instead of gaining four yards, Toney was called both for offensive holding and illegal formation.
"I think he's actually guilty of BOTH penalties"
— Sam Monson (@PFF_Sam) August 17, 2024
Kadarius Toney in midseason form already
That was Toney's first preseason snap because the third-year receiver has been injured quite a bit so far in his NFL career, including this summer as he's tried to return to training camp. Toney was carted off of the practice fields at St. Joseph with a leg injury earlier this preseason, and his ongoing absence(s) caused Andy Reid to challenge him in media remarks to get healthy.
Even beyond the double-penalty, which was just outrageous, Toney caught 1 of 2 targets for negative-4 yards. He also returned a punt 7 yards, which was the least successful return for the Chiefs on the day. In short, Toney didn't even find a way to impress the team in other facets despite knowing what's on the line.
While the Chiefs certainly saw flashes of the incredible potential that Toney holds as a football player since trading for him with the New York Giants, the truth is that Toney has been more of a headache than anything else. For every memorable catch or return, there have been even more moments of inexplicable penalties, drops, and miscues.
Toney's potential will undoubtedly earn him at least one more look in the NFL, but it's unlikely that the Chiefs are going to find any takers for a trade knowing that the waiver wire is the most likely place to find him in a week. And as for the Chiefs, it makes no sense to give Toney any more real opportunities when there are others more deserving of a shot at making this roster.