Kadarius Toney, a 2021 first-round draft pick, won’t be suiting up in a Kansas City Chiefs uniform when the NFL regular season opens next month.
The back-to-back Super Bowl champions released the wide receiver Tuesday when they trimmed their roster to 53 ahead of Tuesday’s deadline, the NFL Network reported.
Toney had an up-and-down tenure with the Chiefs, and he entered the preseason as a player on the roster bubble considering his production in 2023. He appeared in 13 games last season, finishing with 169 receiving yards and just one touchdown.
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Kadarius Toney (19) of the Kansas City Chiefs carries the ball for a touchdown on a play that was called back due to a penalty during the second half of a game against the Buffalo Bills at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium Dec. 10, 2023, in Kansas City, Mo. (David Eulitt/Getty Images)
Teams had to cut their rosters to 53 players Tuesday from the training camp maximum of 90. Toney is among the hundreds of players who will be eligible to return to practice squads. NFL rules allow practice squads to include up to 17 players, including a spot allocated to the International Player Pathway Program.
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Injuries shortened both of Toney’s first two seasons, and he was traded to the Chiefs during his second year with the New York Giants. The 25-year-old never displayed his dynamic playmaking skills consistently, but he did step up in big moments.
Kadarius Toney of the Kansas City Chiefs reacts after a touchdown on a play that was called back due to a penalty during the second half of a game against the Buffalo Bills at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium Dec. 10, 2023, in Kansas City, Mo. (Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
In a three-minute span in the fourth quarter of Kansas City’s 38-35 win over the Philadelphia Eagles in the 2023 Super Bowl, Toney made two monumental plays. First, he caught a 5-yard TD pass that gave the Chiefs a 28-27 lead. He then returned a punt 65 yards to the Eagles 5-yard line to set up another TD.
Kevin Byard of the Philadelphia Eagles tackles Kadarius Toney (19) of the Kansas City Chiefs during a fourth quarter catch at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium Nov. 20, 2023, in Kansas City, Mo. (David Eulitt/Getty Images)
But Toney couldn’t build off that success. He struggled last season, was inactive from Week 15 through the playoffs and sat out when the Chiefs finished their repeat against the San Francisco 49ers.
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The Chiefs added veteran wideout Marquise “Hollywood” Brown and drafted Xavier Worthy in the first round to go with Rashee Rice. They also have Skyy Moore, Mecole Hardman and Justin Watson.
Other NFL teams now have the opportunity to claim Toney off waivers. If a team does claim Toney, it would assume the full value of the final year of his rookie deal. The Chiefs declined his fifth-year option earlier this year.
The Chiefs recently brought back Super Bowl champion wideout JuJu Smith-Schuster, signing him to a one-year deal.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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