Kadarius Toney's 2023 role; What can we learn from how the Chiefs used him last season?

Examining the games Toney saw significant snaps in 2022 to try and figure out the plan for the unique receiver this year.

Kadarius Toney is one of the biggest unknowns for the Chiefs heading into the 2023 season.

Of course, that’s not necessarily new for the speedy wide receiver, who has a reputation as one of the most dynamic threats in the NFL when healthy. Prior to the playoffs last season, I wrote about how he was one of the biggest X-factors in Kansas City’s offense (and, it turns out, special teams). He’s a rare type of a player, one who is legitimately unique in a league full of athletic freaks. He also has a more varied skillset than he gets credit for, which I noted when looking at his film with the Giants after the Chiefs traded for him.

Toney’s role being expanded in 2023 is basically being treated as a given at this point, especially after the Chiefs decided not to bring back Juju Smith-Schuster and let Mecole Hardman walk in free agency. These snaps haven’t really been replaced in the offense (Kansas City’s biggest offseason acquisitions were rookie Rashee Rice and veteran Richie James, who has had a pretty quiet career thus far), and so the assumption is that Toney is going to be one of the go-to receivers this season.

But what will his role look like? How will the Chiefs use Toney, who has flashed speed to separate at multiple levels and good ball skills down the field, but has made his mark primarily so far as a playmaker with the ball in his hands?

To try and figure this out, I went back and looked at the film from some of the games Toney was utilized the most last year. Let’s talk about how Andy Reid utilized Toney, what changed as the year went along, and what we can figure out from that for the 2023 season.