Cleveland Browns sign former Giants, Chiefs WR Kadarius Toney to practice squad

The Cleveland Browns are adding another former first-round draft pick to their wide receiver room with hopes to potentially benefit from a change of scenery.

A league source confirmed for the Beacon Journal that the Browns are signing wide receiver Kadarius Toney to their practice squad. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport was the first to report the deal.

Toney signed with the Browns instead of the Seattle Seahawks, another team he visited. He's one of three former first-rounders in the wide receiver room between the active roster and practice squad, joining Amari Cooper (2015, No. 4 overall, Oakland Raiders) and Jerry Jeudy (2020, No. 15 overall, Denver Broncos).

Toney, 25, was originally selected by the New York Giants with the 20th overall pick in the first round of the draft out of the University of Florida. When he came out of college, he was seen as potential a jack-of-all-trades kind of wide receiver who could help both in the passing and running games, but also in the return game as well.

That's never quite happened for Toney, who was traded to the Kansas City Chiefs in October 2022. Over his year-and-a-half with New York, he only made five starts in 12 games, catching 41 passes for 420 yards and no touchdowns, with another five carries for 29 yards.

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The Chiefs utilized Toney more on punt returns in the 20 games he played for them, and he averaged 7.4 yards on 16 returns. However, he only had 41 catches for 320 yards and three touchdowns with Kansas City, along with another 16 carries for 90 yards and a score.

Kansas City did not pick up Toney's fifth-year option by the May deadline this year, and he was released on Aug. 27.

Chris Easterling can be reached at [email protected]. Read more about the Browns at www.beaconjournal.com/sports/browns. Follow him on X at @ceasterlingABJ