The New York Giants opted to retain Kayvon Thibodeaux through the recent trade deadline, despite having other pass-rushers on the roster, including Abdul Carter and Brian Burns. As Thibodeaux approaches a pivotal contract year, trade discussions have resurfaced.
According to a piece by ESPN”s Jordan Raanan, potential trade partners have indicated a possible asking price for Thibodeaux”s services during the ongoing NFL scouting combine. Raanan reported that various sources believe Thibodeaux could yield either a late Day 2 or early Day 3 draft pick. Alternatively, a player-for-player exchange might also be considered, similar to the recent trade between the New York Jets and Tennessee Titans involving edge rusher Jermaine Johnson.
The Giants secured Burns with a five-year, $141 million contract in March 2024, and statistics from ESPN reveal he finished the 2025 regular season with 16.5 sacks, ranking second in the league. While Carter faced challenges during his rookie campaign, the Giants remain committed to developing him, given that he was the third overall selection in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Thibodeaux, on the other hand, has not met expectations since being chosen fifth overall by the Giants in the 2022 draft, accumulating only eight sacks over the past two seasons due to injuries that limited him to 22 games. Raanan noted that trading Thibodeaux could free up nearly $15 million in salary-cap space for the Giants.
General manager Joe Schoen hinted at the team”s plans for Thibodeaux during the combine, stating, “Right now, Kayvon”s going to be with us. He played well. He is going into his fifth year, and he”s motivated, and you can”t have enough pass-rushers. You really can”t. So I”m proud of the development and the maturation of Kayvon, and he”s come a long way. And I expect big things out of him next year with that rotation.”
However, Schoen”s use of “right now” raises questions about Thibodeaux”s future, as the decision ultimately lies with Giants head coach John Harbaugh, who may prefer to develop Thibodeaux rather than trade him for a lower value.
