The Kansas City Chiefs had high hopes for wide receiver Kadarius Toney heading into the 2023 season, but unfortunately, it turned out to be a major disappointment. The Chiefs did not acquire any new receivers in the offseason, with the expectation that Toney would emerge as their number one option.

Quarterback Patrick Mahomes praised Toney's talent and expressed confidence that he would be in top shape for the season. However, during the opening practice of training camp, Toney suffered a knee injury that required surgery and caused him to miss camp and the preseason.

Although Toney managed to return in time for the Chiefs' season opener, his performance was disastrous. He dropped four catchable passes, including one that ended up being intercepted and returned for a touchdown by the Lions.

His struggles continued throughout the season, as Toney committed a costly offside penalty in a game against the Buffalo Bills. In another game against the New England Patriots, he dropped a crucial pass that resulted in an interception.

These poor performances led to Mahomes expressing his frustration on the sideline, showcasing the disappointment and frustration the team felt towards Toney's lackluster play. Toney's season ended prematurely, and his overall statistics showed a lack of impact, with 41 receptions for 340 yards and four touchdowns in 20 games for the Chiefs.

Despite Toney's struggles, the Chiefs managed to achieve success without him, winning four postseason games and becoming the NFL's first back-to-back champions in two decades. However, Toney added to the list of missteps by publicly questioning the injury reports in a rant on Instagram Live prior to the AFC Championship Game.

Heading into the 2023 season, Toney faced an uphill battle to secure a spot on the Chiefs' initial roster. Even though he tried to increase his value by working as a running back during camp, injuries hindered his progress. Furthermore, the Chiefs' recent signing of veteran receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster all but confirmed Toney's exclusion from the initial roster.

Toney remained determined despite the setback, expressing a humble approach and readiness to seize any future opportunities. In the meantime, undrafted rookies Carson Steele and Chris Roland-Wallace earned spots on the Chiefs' initial roster due to their contributions on special teams.

In other roster moves, the Chiefs waived running back Louis Rees-Zammit, who had an impressive preseason but suffered a back injury during practice. The Chiefs hope to sign Rees-Zammit to their practice squad if he clears waivers.

Additionally, the Chiefs intended to add prospects like Ross, Remigio, Prince, Oladokun, and Bozeman to their practice squad. Late on Monday night, they acquired defensive end Cam Thomas from the Arizona Cardinals in exchange for a 2025 seventh-round pick. In a minor surprise, veteran tight end Irv Smith Jr. was released to make room for the acquisition of tight end Peyton Hendershot from the Dallas Cowboys.

As the Chiefs prepare to host the Ravens on opening night, the team looks to move forward without Kadarius Toney and make the necessary roster adjustments to continue their winning tradition.