Kansas City Chiefs Wide Receiver Injures Knee at Training Camp

Wide receiver Kadarius Toney's first offseason with the Kansas City Chiefs may already be off to a rough start. The former New York Giants first-round pick "tweaked his knee" in the lead-up to Sunday's training camp practice.

WR Kadarius Toney “tweaked his knee” as he shagged punts before practice so the Chiefs’ training staff backed off. OL Wanya Morris is dealing with a hamstring strain.
— Pete Sweeney (@pgsween) July 23, 2023

Chiefs WR Kadarius Toney “tweaked his knee pre practice” during punt return and did not participate today, Andy Reid says
— Jonathan Jones (@jjones9) July 23, 2023

Head coach Andy Reid evidently didn't seem too concerned, but nagging injuries have come to define the early portion of Toney's career. Since entering the league as the Giant's 20th overall pick of the 2021 NFL Draft, Toney has appeared in only 19 games and totalled a mere 473 snaps. It's a big reason the Giants were so quick to cut their losses after a little over one season and trade him to the Chiefs for a 2023 third-round pick.

Given the departures of wide receivers Juju Smith-Schuster and Mecole Hardman this March, who combined for 1230 receiving yards and seven touchdowns last year, the Chiefs were clearly banking on an increased role for Toney. He had another forgettable regular season in 2022 (16 receptions, 171 yards), but he flashed his tantalizing potential with several key plays in the Super Bowl, including a crucial touchdown reception and a game-swinging 65-yard punt return in the fourth quarter.

Unfortunately, a player's most crucial ability is his availability. If Toney is cursed to consistently struggle with injuries, he simply won't be the player the Chiefs need. If he can't replace a significant portion of the production the Chiefs lost when Smith-Schuster and Hardman left town, the Chiefs could be burdened with their worst receiving corps of the Patrick Mahomes era. Whether or not Toney makes good on the gamble the Chiefs made by trading for him last year will go a long way toward deciding just how elite their offense can remain.