Kadarius Toney ready to ‘do what’s asked of me’ in the Chiefs’ offense

On Wednesday, Kansas City’s new wide receiver spoke with local media for the first time.

Before he has even had the chance to play a game with the Kansas City Chiefs, wide receiver Kadarius Toney is making an impact. The second-year standout has caught the eye of head coach Andy Reid, who is already working Toney into his game plans.

“We’ve got a couple plays in for him here and there,” Reid told reporters on Wednesday — just before Toney would be on the practice field with his new teammates for the first time. “[But] I haven’t had a chance to be out on the field with him yet. Let’s see where we go with that — and then go from there.”

Still, Reid has liked what he’s seen from the former first-round pick who came to his team through a trade with the New York Giants — where former Kansas City quarterbacks coach Mike Kafka serves as the offensive coordinator.

“He’s a smart kid,” Reid of Toney. “He’s been with us a couple of days. [We’ve] had a chance to talk to him. He picks things up fairly easy. He was with Kafka, too. So a little bit of the plays [and] terminologies — even though they’re mostly using the Buffalo thing — a little bit’s familiar to him; he has somewhat of a foundation.”

Toney is not shy about his eagerness to play for the Chiefs. For the time being, he knows that when his time comes he will be ready — even if his number isn’t called during Sunday night’s game against the Tennessee Titans.

Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images

“Right now, I don’t really have any expectations,” Toney explained during his first meeting with reporters on Wednesday. “I just want to come in and do what’s asked of me. Whatever plays [and] whatever assignments I [have] to do, I’m going to do them my hardest.”

Just the same, he still hopes he’ll be able to play on Sunday.

“I’m working towards that,” he said. “I’m very eager to go out there — and ready to be the player that I am.”

Quarterback Patrick Mahomes has also spent some time with his new wide receiver, noting not only his readiness but his unexpected stature.

“You can tell how much he’s ready to get out there and play,” observed Mahomes. “Physically, everybody sees how [many] physical gifts he has. He’s fast — [and] he’s bigger than I thought.

“He’s done a good job — whenever he catches the ball — [of] being able to make people miss in space. We’re just excited to get him into this culture [and] into this team — and see what he can do in this offense.”

Like his head coach, however, Mahomes was careful not to set expectations too high.

“We’ll kind of just work him in as the season goes on,” said Mahomes, “and hopefully be able to use his talent to help take this offense even to another level.”