Getty Kadarius Toney #89 of the New York Giants carries the ball as Marlon Davidson #90 of the Atlanta Falcons defends during the first half at MetLife Stadium on September 26, 2021 in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Reports out of New York have indicated that Kadarius Tony is on the trading block. The Giants receiver has skipped all of the team’s voluntary offseason workouts to date as he attempts to rebound from an injury-plagued rookie campaign. Toney made 39 catches for 420 yards in 10 games last season.
Should the Philadelphia Eagles make a play for Toney? He was the 20th overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft, the consolation prize for New York after Philly traded up and stole DeVonta Smith. The former first-rounder ran the 40 in 4.39 seconds while flashing potential as a dual-threat gadget out of the backfield.
But Toney brings a lot of red flags on and off the field. On the surface, he doesn’t look like the type of player the Eagles would be interested in. Toney was mired in social media controversies, plus he got ejected from a game for throwing a punch (it came against Dallas: wink, wink).
Head coach Nick Sirianni has stressed finding players who fit his culture, which includes connecting and holding people accountable. Toney doesn’t appear to care about those things. Then again, what happened last year in New York could be a blip on the radar for a rookie still learning how to be a professional. A change of scenery and a trade to a team with strong leadership could be beneficial to everyone.
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Giants Unlikely to Deal Toney to NFC East Rival
There are two main reasons why the Giants probably wouldn’t entertain trading Toney to the Eagles. For starters, teams usually shy away from making trades within the division. What if Toney turns out to be a perennial Pro Bowler? That kind of hasty decision would get someone fired.
A look at what Kadarius Toney can do with the ball in his hands.
Remember, Toney is only 23 years old and hasn’t gone through a 17-game schedule after fighting several injuries in 2021 including a bout with COVID-19. It’s hard to imagine the Giants giving up on him that quickly.
The asking price for Toney would be another obstacle. According to Big Blue View’s Jeremy Portnoy, the Giants would get “cents on the dollar” in return for Toney. This year’s draft is loaded with top talent at the receiver position, so New York has no leverage in a trade. Portnoy checked with an NFL executive:
One former NFL executive I asked thought the Giants might be able to get a late-second or early-third round pick. Another analyst who has worked in the league suggested late-third for a team that really liked Toney a year ago, and thought the Giants might have to settle for as low as a fifth-round pick if they feel they simply need to move on from Toney.
🚨BREAKING: Giants are looking to trade WR Kadarius Toney, making calls on what they can get for their 2021 1st round pick t.co/dr3EjB0iDe t.co/S8yiQQZYCR
Sirianni Exploring All Options, Offense & Defense
Sirianni is an offensive-minded coach, stemming from stints as a wide receivers coach and offensive coordinator. He has an eye for finding playmakers on that side of the ball. However, that doesn’t mean he isn’t scouting defensive players and trying to add talent there. Sirianni is looking to upgrade the roster at all positions.
“Well, you’re always looking to make your team better, as good as you possibly can. And so, you’re looking at all accounts,” Sirianni told reporters on April 20. “I don’t think it’s fair for me to say, ‘Oh, well, offense is more important than defense or defense is more important than offense.’ We’re just looking obviously to get our team better. How do you do that? You get that with good players.”
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