The New York Giants starting wide receiver tandem is set as Kenny Golladay and Sterling Shepard will line up across from one another on opening weekend. One of the disappointments in training camp has been the limited practice time of Kadarius Toney.
Injuries have derailed the hype and potential surrounding New York’s first-round draft pick. If he does not get back on the field soon, Toney could become a forgotten member of the offense.
Professional football is a tricky sport. Too often, injured players get lost in the shuffle during training camp. Get hurt, lose your roster spot. Toney has been battling an undisclosed injury all camp long. It has been frustrating for the high draft pick as Toney was expected to compete for the WR3 role in Giants offensive coordinator Jason Garrett’s passing attack.
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Kadarius Toney Falling Behind in New York Giants Offense
Wideouts are expected to excel in Garrett’s system. He understands their importance to the offense. Often, the wide receiver position will receive the majority of passes thrown in a game. When healthy, Toney has the athleticism and quickness to become a dangerous receiving threat from the slot position.
No question, he brings an impressive skill set that will challenge opposing defenses on slants and vertical seam routes. Garrett will devise specific plays that will isolate Toney in single coverage situations. Hopefully, the Giants can use his speed to their advantage. His presence on the field should create open space for Golladay and Shepard in different offensive sets.
Toney Has Time To Make an Impression on Giants Coaching Staff
But to get back into the mix, Toney will have to take advantage of the limited opportunities available this late in the preseason. The Giants are marching towards finalizing their 53-man roster, so it is too late in the process for teaching.
Toney will have to impress Giants head coach Joe Judge on how he picked up the offense via film sessions and position meetings while sidelined. Granted, rookies are prone to making mistakes. But coaches are looking for how young players self-correct themselves on the field. This is a vital telltale sign of their development as an NFL player.
Toney’s Collegiate Career Opened Scout’s Eyes
The upside of Kadarius Toney is endless. The Giants front office fell in love with his physical and athletic traits shown against tough SEC competition each week.
During his time at Florida, Toney accumulated 2,170 all-purpose yards with 14 touchdowns scored in four seasons with the Gators. He became a difference-maker (70 receptions for 984 receiving yards with 10 touchdowns) in Florida’s passing game during his senior season at the school.
Toney can still make an impact by bringing an athletic element to the Giants return game. His explosiveness in the open field could give the G-Men an advantage in the field position game. It doesn’t hurt an offense’s productivity if the field is slanted in their direction. Plus, with his kick-return capabilities, Toney brings a much-needed skillset to the Giants special teams unit.
The Giants are confident they have the resources to unlock Toney’s potential. The immediate goal is to get him healthy and back onto the practice field. But the clock is ticking on Toney creating a role for himself in the offense.
If he can get back into the mix, then Toney will open some eyes.
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