3 pass-rushers Giants can sign with Kayvon Thibodeaux hurt (and 1 they can trade for)

The defensive line has been the lifeblood of the NY Giants throughout their first five games, but they were dealt an unfortunate blow, as star pass-rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux underwent wrist surgery and he's going to potentially miss 4-6 weeks according to Dan Duggan.  

While Thibodeax can sometimes get lost behind the play of Dexter Lawrence and Brian Burns, he’s been playing well in 2024, even if he’s not stuffing the stat-sheet at the moment. After a blistering victory over the Seattle Seahawks, the Giants will be hoping to keep their momentum going against the Cincinnati Bengals and beyond, but many are predicting Thibodeaux could potentially miss a month with his injury. 

With that in mind, there’s a bevy of options the Giants have at their disposal. Azeez Ojulari will likely have a bigger role, but there’s also some outside options to consider. Here are three free agents the Giants could target to replace Thibodeax, and one option they could trade for if they’re willing to part with more than just money:

3. Kemoko Turay

First, Kemoko Turay could be an option for the Giants in free agency. The former Rutgers Scarlet Knights defender knows the area well, and he could have a chance to revitalize his career in New York. Turay showed promise with the Indianapolis Colts and San Francisco 49ers, but injuries derailed his time in the NFL.

Still, he’s only 29 years old, awaiting another shot after spending the summer with the Carolina Panthers. He was injured before he could truly make an impact with the franchise. In his career, Turay has 12.0 sacks and two forced fumbles to his name, so maybe the Giants could unlock something in him if they gave him a shot in 2024. 

2. Tae Davis

Next, former Giants defender Tae Davis could be a path the franchise chooses to walk. He famously worked his way up from an undrafted free agent to a starter on the Giants defense, and he showed some ability during his time in New York. He’s not a consummate pass-rusher, but he wouldn’t be asked to do too much opposite Burns and filling in for Ojulari at times.

Additionally, Davis could come cheap, as he was also freshly released by the Panthers earlier this summer. His time with the Giants never overlapped with that of Joe Schoen, so it remains to be seen how Davis would fit in with the franchise as they’ve undergone a ton of changes since he last played with the team, but bringing him back into the fold would be a worthy dart throw from the general manager. 

1. Randy Gregory

Continuing, the final free agent option who may be the most controversial of the bunch is Randy Gregory. A former star with the Dallas Cowboys who disappointed during his time with the Denver Broncos and San Francisco 49ers over recent seasons, Gregory spent this past summer with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

He decided not to show up for training camp at all, before the team reached an agreement to release him with no pay. It’s no guarantee Gregory even wants to still lace up his cleats, but if he’s willing, he’s by far the most talented free agent option for New York. He doesn’t have to be the top option, so getting him in when he can play would be huge for both sides, as Gregory still possesses some awesome talent, and his 22.0 sacks and 10 forced fumbles are evidence of that. 

A trade for Haason Reddick?

Finally, there’s a bevy of cheap options the Giants could trade for, but if they really want to commit to being a team who relies on their defensive line and terrorizes opposing quarterbacks, they could check in on Haason Reddick and see if the New York Jets would be willing to cut ties with their embattled pass-rusher. Yes, we know this might be a controversial or unlikely option, but Reddick is clearly not happy on that side of New Jersey.

This doesn’t have to be a long-term marriage, and it likely wouldn’t be, but if the Giants could trade say, the aforementioned Ojulari, who’s unlikely to be back in 2025 anyway, and commit to Reddick for the remainder of the season, he’d be an instant upgrade, and the pass-rushing unit with Reddick, Burns, Lawrence and Thibodeaux when he returns would instantly be the best in the league, bar none.

Of course, this is the biggest and most unlikely swing, but it’s one that Schoen must consider making, being that the Giants are all of a sudden back in the playoff hunt, and could be in the NFC East, or at least Wild Card discussion, with a win over the Bengals and clash with the Philadelphia Eagles to follow. 

Alas, it remains to be seen which player the Giants target with Thibodeaux missing some time, but one thing is for certain, the team must not allow it to derail their best unit. Whether it’s bringing in outside help from free agency or examining the trade market, Joe Schoen has to stay vigilant.