Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Kadarius Toney is one of the most frustrating players to watch, and he might switch over to running back in 2024. Everyone who has even passively watched Toney knows how good he could be. Based on raw potential and raw potential alone, the former first-round pick is one of the most elusive players in the game. Blessed with a 4.38 40-yard dash speed and the elite ability to cut on a dime and make defenders miss, Toney can be dangerous with the ball in his hands and is, on paper, a great fit for a scheme like Andy Reid’s.
The problem is getting the ball into his hands. Toney is wildly inconsistent with atrocious hands and makes some of the worst mental mistakes you will ever see. After an abrupt departure from the New York Giants and an abysmal 2023 season, the Chiefs are using Kadarius Toney as a running back in practice.
Kadarius Toney was seen taking reps in running back drills at Chiefs training camp 🏃♂️💨
(🎥 via @ByPJGreen) pic.twitter.com/HSGYzoh2ow
— SleeperNFL (@SleeperNFL) July 21, 2024
Chiefs Trying Out Kadarius Toney At Running Back
It should go without saying that a player switching positions four years into their professional career is not a good thing. Kadarius Toney has all the talent in the world, but it’s clear that Andy Reid and the Chiefs don’t think he’ll make anything of it unless he switches to running back. This isn’t a case of overreacting to one drill, as all of Kansas City’s offseason moves imply they don’t believe in Toney. The team signed wide receiver Marquise Brown as the immediate deep threat in the offense and traded up for first-round pick Xavier Worthy. They did this in large part because they don’t want Toney as a featured part of the passing attack.
With all those disclaimers out of the way, can Kadarius Toney find work as a running back? Isaiah Pacheco is entrenched atop the depth chart as Kansas City’s starter, but the rest of the group leaves something to be desired. Clyde Edwards-Helaire hasn’t done much of anything since entering the league, while Keontay Ingram and Deneric Prince are nothing more than career journeymen.
Will This Work?
As mentioned before, Kadarius Toney is dangerous with the ball in his hands, so turning him into a running back could be a risk-free way to try and bring out the best of his playmaking ability. After all, you can’t drop a handoff, and Andy Reid is the best in the league at scheming targets to running backs. If there is a role on this depth chart for taking screen passes, jet sweeps, and nothing else, then perhaps Toney can hold on to his job for one more season. Unfortunately, you need to do a lot more than that to justify a spot on an NFL roster.
At 6′-0″ and 193 pounds, Kadarius Toney is simply too small to play running back. The first-round pick has battled injuries since entering the league, and sending him headfirst into a wall of 300-pound defensive linemen probably won’t alleviate those issues. Additionally, running backs must be able to pass block if they want to see the field, and Toney isn’t up for that type of challenge. Nobody wants Toney to be the only thing standing between Patrick Mahomes and a blitzing linebacker, so barring something completely unexpected, this offseason position switch won’t lead to any notable in-season results.
Main Photo: Jay Biggerstaff – USA Today Sports
