Kadarius Toney in helmet and white jersey close shot
It sounds like another Giants first-round pick could be out of town a lot sooner than expected.
Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News reports that the Giants are looking to trade wide receiver Kadarius Toney, the team’s first-round selection in last year’s draft.
Per the Daily News, Toney’s commitment to the team came into question during his rookie season, and there was some “internal momentum” towards giving up on the first-rounder during his first pro season.
At this year’s NFL Combine in Indianapolis, GM Joe Schoen seemed very committed to Toney, the 20th overall pick in last year’s draft.
“I don’t think Kadarius is a tradable piece,” Schoen said. “He’s a good, young player who our coaches really like.”
If the Giants are actively trying to trade Toney, it doesn’t appear to be widely known around the NFL. One executive with a team that hadn’t spoken directly to the Giants about Toney said he heard through his league contacts that the receiver was available, but “it sounds more like they’re listening than shopping” – at least for now. Another NFL source likened it to when Schoen said he was “open” to trading Saquon Barkley – that anyone is available at the right price.
What’s unclear, though, is whether the Giants could get a good price for Toney. Estimates of his trade value from several NFL sources were all over the map, with the highest guess being a third-round pick. The upside of trading for Toney is he’s a tremendous talent and has three years left on his very affordable rookie contract.
The downside is that, if the Giants do trade him, they are willing to give up on that affordable talent – and there’s no mystery why.
“(The Giants) couldn’t get a third-round pick for Saquon, who is a great guy and an elite talent who’s shown what he can do in the league,” said the NFL executive. “This kid has injuries and an attitude and one (big) game on his resume.”
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