Did The Giants Botch Their First Round Pick With Kadarius Toney?

Giants rookie receiver Kadarius Toney isn’t meshing well with his new team, and the drama is slowly bleeding from the field into the New York tabloids.

The first-round draft pick, who was a dynamic, big play threat at Florida, currently has two catches for minus-two yards on 21 total snaps in 2021.

Toney lashed out at Giants coaches and then later the media after his slow start, but he tried to ease the tension Thursday by apologizing for lumping all media together as “clowns.”

“I know a lot of stuff was interpreted with me talking about the Giants. It had nothing to do with the Giants,” said Toney, vaguely. “I know a lot of people saw when I posted the media is this-and-that. That’s not meant for everybody.”

Toney’s potential with the Giants, specifically offensive coordinator Jason Garrett’s short-yardage style of play calling, was called into question from the start, with one draft analyst calling the pick a “strange fit” when Toney’s name was called. Garrett acted as though everything was copacetic Thursday when asked about Toney, despite the fact that Toney is lagging significantly behind other first round receivers in yards and touchdowns.

“He’ll be a piece of what we’re doing,” Garrett said before Thursday’s practice. “We have a lot of guys on offense that we like and we want to get the ball to. We were excited to draft Kadarius and we’re excited to play him. … Our guys are going to earn their opportunities to get a jersey, to play and to get within the game.”

Toney, himself, laughed when asked about his slow start.

“ a play would be pretty good … but I wake up every day to come in and do my job, do what I can to increase my role and increase my ability,” Toney chuckled. “I don’t really need justification from everybody about what I’m doing.”

Head coach Joe Judge downplayed the drama, and instead highlighted Toney’s good week of practice.

“He’s had a real good week of practice — Monday was one of his best days — and I think that’s natural as he gains experience,” Judge said. “I wouldn’t say we’re holding anything back on K.T.”

The Giants play the struggling Falcons this Sunday at home.