Jobless former Commanders gamble may be forced into early retirement

Among Ron Rivera's biggest flaws during his four-year tenure with the Washington Commanders was a failure to draft effectively. There were very few success stories, which is why current general manager Adam Peters is signing so many experienced veterans to plug the gap.

That should change once Peters starts stacking good drafts. But until then, the Commanders are making the best out of a bad situation.

And there is one draft gamble made by Rivera who could be forced into early retirement if another opportunity doesn't arrive this summer.

The Commanders took a chance on physically gifted edge rusher Shaka Toney at No. 246 overall in the 2021 NFL Draft. He flashed brief glimpses of promise as a rookie, gaining 1.5 sacks and displaying some decent explosiveness. His snap percentage decreased significantly in 2022, and things got even worse after that.

Shaka Toney's future is increasingly uncertain one year after Commanders' departure

Toney was suspended for the entire 2023 campaign after violating the league's gambling policy. He was reinstated in April 2024, but the Commanders' new regime had seen enough. They released him four days later, placing the former Penn State star on the proverbial scrap heap once again.

Opportunity knocked for Toney later that year. The Dallas Cowboys brought him into the fold, but injuries prevented him from making any lasting contribution. He wasn't brought back this spring as expected.

No NFL team has come calling this year. It doesn't take long for the league to move on from players who mess up or don't perform up to the required standard. Toney could be the latest in a long list of players who get cast aside way ahead of time.

Toney gained a bad reputation for his gambling misdemeanors. Couple this with his minimal on-field contribution and injury problems, and it's not hard to see why franchises around the NFL have gone in different directions.

What the future holds for Toney is increasingly uncertain. He's still just 27 years old and in the prime of his career. However, exploring opportunities in the CFL or UFL might be the best way to keep his football journey alive.

It's not ideal, but Toney has nobody to blame but himself. The Commanders have some serious questions to answer on the edge heading into the 2025 campaign, but they were right to move on.

Toney will be hoping the phone rings at some stage. But it's not looking especially promising when one factors everything into the equation.

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