Kadarius Toney was a spectator as the NFL opened up its regular season in Week 1 as the former first-round wide receiver had remained unsigned. That has since changed as we pivot toward Week 2. Toney is signing with the Cleveland Browns, according to NFL Media. Specifically, Toney will begin his tenure with the organization on the practice squad to work his way back and get up to speed with his new club.
Toney was released by the Kansas City Chiefs at the end of the preseason during final roster cuts. Upon being let go, the 25-year-old did visit with the Seattle Seahawks, but left without a deal. This report notes that Toney had other visits lined up after Cleveland, but the two sides came to terms on a deal before he walked out the door.
Toney entered the league in 2021 when the New York Giants selected the Florida product with the No. 20 overall pick. While talented, Toney has yet to fully carve out a role for himself in the league. That helped end his stint with the Giants less than two seasons in as he was traded to Kansas City in late October of the 2022 season. There, he was a part of two Super Bowl-winning teams, including Super Bowl LVII where he set a Super Bowl record with a 65-yard punt return in the fourth quarter.
That work on special teams has been the shining moment of his career to this point. As a receiver, he's struggled to find his footing. Toney was a key figure in a Chiefs wide receiver room in 2023 that was plagued by drops. This offseason, Kansas City revamped its wide receiver room by adding the likes of Xavier Worthy and Hollywood Brown, which contributed to him being on the outside looking in on their opening 53-man roster.
In Cleveland, Toney will join a Browns wide receiver room that is headlined by Amari Cooper, Elijah Moore, and Jerry Jeudy. Kevin Stefanski's team is coming off a 33-17 loss in the opener at the hands of the Dallas Cowboys where the offense under quarterback Deshaun Watson struggled mightily. This singing of Toney could be looked at as an attempt by the franchise to spark the unit.
