NEWSLETTER
Kadarius Toney will always be a footnote in Chicago Bears history, as he was the player chosen with the 2021 first-round pick the team sent to the New York Giants in order to trade up to select quarterback Justin Fields with the 11th overall pick in the NFL Draft.
But as it turns out, Toney won’t make it through his rookie contract in New York. In fact, he won’t even make it through two full seasons with the Giants. That’s because he is being traded to the Kanasas City Chiefs for draft considerations:
What is most notable about this trade is that the Giants have set the market in terms of what it should take to trade a disgruntled (yet, unproven) receiver. Picks in the third and sixth round might seem like a light load, but that isn’t an awful return. Sure, Toney has had trouble seeing the field and his fit with the Giants has been problematic from the get-go. But he also has two more years under contract (and possibly a fifth-year option, per Field Yates) in Kansas City, which the Chiefs probably see as incredibly valuable. In other words, if you’re a team *cough*the Bears*cough* with receiver needs willing to roll the dice, third- and sixth-round picks appears to be the starting point for trade conversations.
And then there is this, for future reference:
If you’re a franchise looking to build up its draft capital, Tom Pelissero’s nugget above is worth remembering. It would behoove teams to be progressive and inclusive in front office hiring processes. And not just for the right and obvious reasons. The Chiefs clearly found value in this perk by using a compensatory pick were given for Ryan Poles leaving to become the Bears’ GM. And they successfully turned it into a player with tremendous upside and potential. Toney hasn’t played to his strengths just yet. But Andy Reid has a knack for making the most out of players getting second chances. And catching passes from Patrick Mahomes can only help build his profile.
In the end, the Toney trade has us on high alert for anything else coming down the pipeline. The NFL’s trade deadline is Nov. 1. Stay tuned…
