Kadarius Toney: Should The Patriots Make A Call?
Trouble in the Meadowlands? The new regime for the New York Giants has made their 2021 first-round pick Kadarius Toney available on the trade market. Should Belichick call newly appointed Joe Schoen and try to make a deal to bring him into New England?
Any draft pick within the top 60 is most likely going to be a stretch for The Patriots to give up for just Toney. However, there could be a path to get the deal done.
What Could Kadarius Toney Do For The Patriots?
Adding a player like Kadarius would give the team a great deal of dynamic ability. Although he struggled to stay on the field in his first year Toney was relatively productive. In ten games he caught 39 of 57 passes for 420 yards and zero touchdowns. He may only have had one really great game last season but it was a large enough of a breakout (ten receptions for 189 yards against Dallas in week 5) to warrant some attention around the league.
Toney is six feet tall weighing 193 pounds, and he has electric quickness making him extremely difficult to tackle. For example in Toney’s last season at the University of Florida, he had 43 broken tackles on 120 catches. PFF’s Draft Profile says Toney has the “rare ability with the ball in his hands. Some might say generational.”
Mac Jones would love a guy like Toney who can get yards after the catch and create separation quickly in the route. Coming into a room that has plenty of depth he would be able to get fully healthy, and not be the focus of the defense. Toney very well could be the slot receiver that the team has been looking for.
I'd think the Patriots will get in on Toney https://t.co/BslKi3Rdpw — Jeff Howe (@jeffphowe) April 23, 2022
NFL Insider Jeff Howe seems to believe the team is also interested in bringing in Toney.
Why Would The Giants Dish Kadarius?
Is there some off-field issue? Does it have anything to do with work ethic? Could it be durability issues? The most likely answer is the new front office and staff weren’t the ones to select Toney last year. The Giants have four picks in the top 70, they may like someone better for their system. Or they feel good about the room and want to get more picks.
Toney did have a game with elite production which showed some impressive flashes. So it is odd to see a team try to move on a player so early. Maybe that is a red flag for some but his on-field talent is enough for me to look past. Typically it is difficult to find potential like his beyond day two of the draft.
I don’t believe we should pay anything crazy for him but if they can come to a fair deal I think his talent is certainly worth the shot. This is the type of player people have solid opinions about, either they love the talent or they don’t want the risk.
I understand that the team has many needs but adding a player with his talent could be a huge boost to the team. It really comes down to what the Giants are looking for.
Two Potential Packages For Toney
Deal One:
The first deal that was successful was offering the Giants picks # 85, 158, 200, 210, and N’keal Harry. In return, The G-Men would send back picks #173, 182, and Kadarius Toney. The thought process here is that Harry needs a change of scenery because he and Mac don’t really fit. Harry wouldn’t be the centerpiece here he would be the throw-in.
The Giants would gain another top 100 pick which is incredibly valuable in this draft. The Patriots get a couple of late-round picks in return because they rarely leave a draft with less than six selections made. The swap of former first-round WRs should mean good things for both of them. PFF had that trade being accepted 58% of the time.
Deal Two:
I decided to have some fun with this trade. The Patriots would send picks #21, 85, and N’keal Harry again. This time The Giants would be giving back picks #36, 67, 112 in 2022, a fifth-rounder in 2023, and Kadarius Toney. This would be a true blockbuster deal in my opinion. The Giants would gain their third pick in the top 25, as well as, retain another top 100 selection.
The Patriots would reap the benefits of this deal, obtaining a first-round talent in Toney well adding two more top 70 picks. As most fans will point out we have a bunch of needs, so a trade-back feels like a very viable situation.
After this deal, New England would have picks 36, 54, 67, and 112. This is great capital to continue to move around the board or just fill the holes we have. In addition to a player who has shown he can be a difference-maker with the proper development.
This is the home run type of deal that the team has been searching for. PFF simulates that trade gets accepted 57% of the time.
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