The New York Giants’ locker room wasn’t totally shocked by the trading of former first round pick Kadarius Toney to the Kansas City Chiefs on Thursday.
After all, Toney was a constant presence on the team’s injury report and the rumblings about him not being a ‘fit’ for this team have now been confirmed by his departure.
The truth is, the Giants have been attempting to move him ever since Joe Schoen took over as general manager earlier this year.
On Thursday, another former first-round pick — one that does fit in here — was asked about the trade of the beleaguered Toney.
“It’s the NFL,” said running back Saquon Barkley. “Anytime there’s a trade you’re going to be shocked. KT’s a talented player, I wish him nothing but the best of luck in KC.
“I never want to take anything away from KT like I said he’s a talented player, but for us right now it’s just continue to have the same 1-0 mindset, fall in love with the process and go to Seattle and try to come out with a win.”
Losing Toney, who has not played since Week 2, is no real loss. As the song goes, “nothing from nothing leaves nothing” but in this case at least the Giants got a third- and a sixth-round draft pick in return. Addition by subtraction.
The issue is that Toney was taking up a spot on the active roster and a seat in the receivers room — a room that is getting less crowded by the day.
Currently, the Giants’ have a depth chart that looks like this: rookie Wan’Dale Robinson; veterans Richie James and Darius Slayton; David Sills, Marcus Johnson and the injured Kenny Golladay. Yikes.
Barkley, as usual, stayed in between the lines when talking about Toney.
“I feel like that’s something that I’d rather talk to him personally about. I feel like that’s not needed to be said in the media,” Barkley said when asked what he’d tell Toney after being traded. “Like I said I just wish him nothing but the best of luck in KC.”
The Giants will continue to trudge on with with they have. So far, they’ve managed, but with 10 games remaining, one has to wonder if they have enough capable bodies for the stretch run.
What the Giants really need is for Golladay’s knee to heal up and for him to begin to live up to his massive contract. The perception is that he is somehow dogging it and/or the team has lost confidence in him. Regardless of any of that is just speculation or truth, he is raining optimistic and wants to get back out on the field.
“Oh man, I want to be a part of it big time,” he said. “I’m trying everything to get back out there. I’ve never even been a part of a team that’s gone 6-1. I’m trying to do everything to get back out there.”
It will be interesting to see how all of this plays out. The Giants could swing a deal for a young veteran wideout between now and next Tuesday’s trading deadline.
“I get jealous of the guys. In a good way, though. It motivates me even more to get out there with them just so I can put my little stamp on the game,” Golladay said. “However that comes — if it’s in the blocking area, if it’s in the pass catching — that’s the part I get jealous about. Just seeing the guys out there having fun with it.”
