The Kansas City Chiefs have approached the final checkpoint of their offseason program the mandatory minicamp before the summer break is in full swing.
Mandatory minicamp follows in the same vein as the already ticked-off OTAs but it is a period where all players must attend.
Courtesy of the collective bargaining agreement, players who do not attend the camp will be subject to fines.
Kansas City Chiefs locked in on minicamp before their summer break
Before the players can unwind for their summer break, the Chiefs participate in their three-day minicamp.
Preseason is drawing near and next month’s training camp at Missouri Western State University is scheduled for July 23 and will run until August 17.
Similar to the OTAs previously, the minicamp takes a padless approach but is a key opportunity to develop chemistry and leave lasting impressions on the coaching staff.
The fight to make the final 53-man roster has already started, with veterans, rookies, drafted and undrafted, all engaging in healthy competition.
Kadarius Toney is present for the first time in the offseason program
One key player present at the first of the mandatory minicamp is wide receiver and return specialist Kadarius Toney.
His second season on the Kansas City Chiefs roster ended prematurely and he fell out of favor with the coaching staff.
After countless drops, a carless offside penalty to deny the Chiefs a last-gasp winning touchdown in Week 14 against the Buffalo Bills, and a tipped pass that led to an interception the following week, Toney was moved to the injured reserve.
The franchise designated the receiver with ankle and hip injuries and he did not participate in the remainder of the season, including the playoffs.
Mike Florio speculated that Toney’s career in Kansas City was over
NFL expert Mike Florio believed that the 25-year-old had no future in Missouri and the return of Mecole Hardman has spelled more trouble.
Toney has dropped down the rankings with the draft of Xavier Worthy and the free agent signing Marquise Brown.
Furthermore, Justin Reid and Louis Rees-Zammit have been practicing their kickoff returns seeing him fall further down the order.
The controversial figure was not present at the OTAs but has been obliged to fulfill his role by attending mandatory minicamp.
Toney needs to fight for opportunities and his roster space as he approaches potential free agency
The opportunities for Toney are now diminishing and he enters a crucial stage of his NFL career.
In the 2021 NFL Draft, the New York Giants selected Toney with the first overall pick but traded him away just a season and a half later.
Furthermore, the two-time Super Bowl champion only managed to record his first NFL touchdown in his second season.
Ultimately, his production will not warrant the Chiefs to exercise his fifth-year option and he could find himself a free agent.
Toney needs a productive season to resurrect his stock and become a desirable player on the open market.