KANSAS CITY — Kansas City wide receiver Kadarius Toney, a first-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, and Tennessee cornerback Caleb Farley were among the players cut on Tuesday as teams pared down their rosters for the regular season.
Toney, who was on the brink of a spot, had been on the second team since the New York Giants drafted him 20th overall three years ago, and the Titans selected Farley two picks later.
A person familiar with the decision spoke to The Associated Press about Toney's move on condition of anonymity because the team has not disclosed Toney's status.
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The team cut its roster to 53 players.
The team had to cut its roster from a training camp maximum of 90 to 53. Toney, Farley and hundreds of other players are eligible to return to the practice squad, which can have up to 17 players, including the spots allocated to the International Player Development Program.
Injuries limited Toney's playing time in both of his first two seasons and he was traded to the Chiefs during his second year with the Giants. The 25-year-old never consistently displayed his dynamic playmaking skills, but he was a big part of helping the Chiefs win the first of his two Super Bowl rings with the team.
In the space of three minutes in the fourth quarter of Kansas City's 38-35 win over Philadelphia in Super Bowl LVII, Toney had two monumental plays: first, he caught a 5-yard touchdown pass to give the Chiefs a 28-27 lead, and then he returned a punt 65 yards to the Eagles' 5-yard line for another touchdown.
But Toney couldn't capitalize on that success, struggling last season and missing games from Week 15 through the playoffs, including when the Chiefs finished off a back-to-back series against San Francisco.
Kansas City acquired veteran wide receiver Marquis “Hollywood” Brown and drafted Xavier Worthy in the first round along with Rushe Rice. The Chiefs also have Skye Moore, Mecole Hardman and Justin Watson.
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Injuries have hampered Farley's career
The Titans drafted Farley out of Virginia Tech, who became the first major college player to opt out of the 2020 season because of the pandemic. Farley was drafted just weeks after undergoing a second surgery to repair a back injury he suffered during his collegiate career.
Injuries limited Farley to just 12 games and just two starts over his first two seasons. Farley had back surgery again in 2023.
Farley, 25, did not play a single game last season. The Titans kept him on the physically unable to play list following the death of Farley's father in an explosion in North Carolina last August.
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Notable player changes across the league
San Francisco has one big vacancy on its starting roster with All-Pro left tackle Trent Williams a holdout, remaining on the reserve/did not report list as he seeks a new contract. Star receiver Brandon Aiyuk is on the roster but has refused to practice unless he signs a new contract or is traded.
Jacksonville released eight-year veteran quarterback C.J. Beatard with an injury designation, likely paving the way for Mac Jones to serve as Trevor Lawrence's backup. Jones has played in 42 games for New England over the past three seasons since New England selected him in the first round of the 2021 draft.
Receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster re-signed with the Chiefs after being released by the Patriots this month, only to be waived by the team.
The Chiefs acquired tight end Peyton Hendershot in a trade with Dallas, sending the Cowboys a conditional 2026 seventh-round pick. After a promising rookie season as an undrafted free agent, Henderson had an injury-riddled sophomore year with Dallas in 2023.
The Cowboys placed All-Pro wide receiver CeeDee Lamb on the commissioner's exempt list one day after he agreed to a $136 million, four-year contract extension that ended a preseason-long holdout. Lamb signed the deal on Tuesday.
The move allows the Cowboys to add offensive lineman Chuma Edoga to the 53-man roster for one day. Edoga will be placed on injured reserve and will be eligible to return in four weeks, but Lamb will take Edoga's place.
The Minnesota Vikings have placed recovering tight end TJ Hockenson on the physically unable to play list, meaning the two-time Pro Bowl selection will have to miss at least the first four games. Hockenson is in the final stages of his rehabilitation after tearing his ACL in a Dec. 24 loss to Detroit.
The Vikings waived Lewis
The Vikings waived safety Louis Cine, who was the last first-round pick in general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah's first draft two years ago.
Cine suffered a serious leg fracture while playing on special teams early in his rookie year and played very little last season, playing just 10 defensive snaps over those two seasons.
As expected, Cleveland placed star running back Nick Chubb on the physically unable to play list as he continues to recover from two surgeries he underwent last year, though the club remains optimistic Chubb will play this season.
The Browns waived running back Donta Foreman, who overcame a gruesome neck injury in training camp, and with Nyheim Hines on the non-football injured list, the Browns are currently down to just two running backs in Jerome Ford and Pierre Strong Jr.
Washington waived veteran receiver Martavis Bryant, who is in his second year and looking to end a long hiatus from the NFL. The oft-suspended 32-year-old Bryant spent most of last season on Dallas' practice squad and could play the same position with the Commanders, whom he signed on Aug. 13.
“Martavis coming in late was definitely a factor,” said first-year coach Dan Quinn, who was the Cowboys' defensive coordinator last season, “and I'm proud of the way he learned the system a fair bit and prepared for the game.”
Green Bay released kicker Anders Karlsson a year after drafting him in the sixth round. Karlsson was meant to replace Mason Crosby but had a disappointing rookie year. Greg Joseph is the only kicker on the roster.
Miami released third-string quarterback Mike White, who started seven games with the New York Jets in 2021-22.
Also cut were safety Ronnie Harrison (Colts), linebacker Deion Jones (Bills), running backs Matt Breida (49ers), Joshua Kelly (Giants) and Boston Scott (Rams), quarterbacks Ben DiNucci (Bills), Matt Corral (Vikings) and Ian Book (Chiefs), wide receivers Sterling Shepard (Buccaneers) and Greg Ward (Colts) and defensive back Terrell Edmunds (Jaguars).
