Chiefs' Kadarius Toney: Poised for more downfield work?

Chiefs GM Brett Veach believes Toney has a "vertical game" and can become more than a "gadget guy", ESPN's Adam Teicher reports.

The Chiefs traded for the 2021 first-round pick in late October and put him in a part-time role that included 17 targets (7.3 aDOT), 10 punt returns and five carries in seven regular-season games. The nagging lower-body injuries that limited Toney in New York carried over to Kansas City, but he ultimately had a big hand in the Chiefs' Super Bowl victory with his eight total snaps in the big game including a five-yard TD catch and 65-yard punt return (both in the fourth quarter). He's now one of the top candidates to start at wide receiver for KC in 2023, along with Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Richie James, 2022 second-round pick Skyy Moore and 2023 second-rounder Rashee Rice. While Toney's 4.39 speed has mostly been on display with the ball in his hands to this point in his career, Veach seems to think the third-year wideout can have more of an impact running routes behind defenses and catching deep throws from Patrick Mahomes in 2023.