The decision to stay away from the New York Giants for voluntary workouts was a brief one for Kadarius Toney, as the second-year wide receiver reversed his position over the weekend and reported to the team facility.
Toney has been in New York/New Jersey since Saturday, according to Bobby Skinner of Jomboy Media’s Talkin’ Giants, and has met with the team.
Dan Duggan of The Athletic confirmed Skinner’s initial report on Toney, adding the following note: “Nothing like some trade rumors to get a player to hop on a flight…”
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If this is true and the Giants did, in fact, lure Toney back to the team by leaking some trade rumors, then that’s a major win for new general manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll. They appear to have dodged what could have been a long summer of wide receiver drama.
Ralph Vacchiano of SNY reports that the Giants “remain high” on Toney’s potential, but there’s “certainly frustration” when it comes to his off-the-field issues.
As for Kadarius Toney being traded, I’m still told the Giants weren’t shopping him. They were just willing to listen when some teams called, as they are with every player. Some teams wanted to see if Giants were willing to sell low. They are not.
The buzz surrounding Toney started when he did not show up to voluntary minicamp when it started last Wednesday. Although his attendance was not mandatory, his absence was kind of a big deal since he still had not received his playbook and is coming off a pretty shaky rookie year.
Fellow wide receiver Kenny Golladay spoke out on the situation, saying “everyone” should be in attendance for voluntary workouts.
“Everyone should definitely be here,” Golladay said, via Vacchiano on Twitter. “As of right now, there’s a lot of energy going around. I think people are actually excited. Also, I think people are ready to get back in the building, because after coming off of last year, it just leaves a bad taste in your mouth that you want to get it out.”
Former Giants wide receiver Amani Toomer was even harder on Toney in his comments to the New York Post.
“I feel like it’s very shortsighted,” Toomer said of Toney’s absence. “Especially with a new coach and a whole new staff. I would tell him, ‘Get your butt in.’ … I wouldn’t say, ‘Get your but in.’ … I’d say, ‘I think it’s a great idea for you to get to know everybody around you so not only can you feel comfortable with them, they can start to feel comfortable around you.’ You don’t want people’s mind racing, wondering where your mind’s at.”
It’s unclear whether these comments or the trade rumors played a role in Toney returning to the Giants. He did not seem all that moved by the influx in attention, based on his social media activity.
“If you believe everything on the internet you gullable [sic],” Toney wrote on his Instagram story shortly after the reports broke about him being on the trade block.
Toney Under Pressure to Perform in 2022
Regardless of his decision to skip voluntary minicamp last week, Toney was going to be under an immense amount of pressure this season no matter what. He’s a former first-round draft pick who only had 420 receiving yards and scored zero touchdowns as a rookie.
Toney, 23, has a ton of athletic ability. We witnessed it in Week 5 last year, when he went off for a season-high 189 yards on 11 receptions in a loss to the Dallas Cowboys. In 2022, the Giants want to see more performances like that one (without the ejection for punching an opponent) in Daboll’s offensive scheme.
Toney has the potential to be an all-around playmaker for the Giants. Last season, he had three rushing attempts and also attempted three passes. With a little bit of creativity, Daboll should be able to utilize Toney’s unique athleticism in several different ways.
Giants to Bring in More WR Competition This Week?
The NFL Draft starts on Thursday night, and the Giants may look to address the wide receiver position. The current regime inherited players such as Toney and Golladay from former general manager Dave Gettleman and may want to bring in some of their own rookie wideouts to compete with the ones already on the roster.
Wide receiver is not the team’s biggest need. Offensive tackle, pass rush and defensive back all look like more pressing needs on paper, but the Giants shouldn’t hesitate to select a receiver if the right one falls into their lap on Day 2 or 3.
The Giants currently have the most expensive wide receiver room in the NFL, and they need that positional group to be more productive than it was last year.
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Kadarius Toney Reverses Course on Voluntary Giants Workouts: Reports