New York Giants general manager Joe Schoen might be saying all the right things to the media, but in the world of NFL roster building, untradable is usually just a fancy way of saying "I haven't seen a high enough draft pick yet."
While the Giants stood pat during the draft, the smoke surrounding Kayvon Thibodeaux was impossible to ignore, especially after our friend Dan Duggan of The Athletic confirmed that the New Orleans Saints were interested but couldn't meet Schoen's second-round asking price.
The Giants' defensive front is currently a victim of its own success -- or lack thereof, boasting an embarrassment of riches with Brian Burns, Abdul Carter, and the newly drafted Arvell Reese. With Thibodeaux entering the fifth and final year of his rookie contract at a whopping $14.75 million, Big Blue finds itself in a unique position where they don’t have to move the 25-year-old, but it’d be foolish not to listen if a desperate team wants to throw the kitchen sink at them.
The urgency for other teams to make a move was recently highlighted by ESPN’s Aaron Schatz, who broke down the biggest roster holes for all 32 NFL teams following the draft. Schatz listed five teams that need pass-rushing help, which could foreshadow an inevitable move of the 2022 fifth overall pick.
4 teams that should/could/would beg the Giants for Kayvon Thibodeaux
Green Bay Packers
The situation in Green Bay is reaching a fever pitch, according to Schatz. The Cheeseheads are staring down a terrifying scenario: what happens to this defense if Micah Parsons, who suffered a torn ACL in December, isn’t ready for Week 1?
Outside of Parsons, the cupboard is remarkably bare. Lukas Van Ness is currently slated to start despite recording just 8.5 sacks over his first three seasons, and the depth behind him consists of a fourth-round rookie, Dani Dennis-Sutton, and Barryn Sorrell, who played just 16% of the defensive snaps last year.
Trading for Thibodeaux would be the ultimate insurance policy for the Frozen Tundra. Instead of crossing their fingers and hoping Parsons returns to form immediately, the Pack could land a 25-year-old pass rusher who fixes their depth crisis. Schatz notes this team "really needs to explore" the market, and Thibs provides a much higher ceiling than the remaining free agents.
Houston Texans
Houston has a Humpty Dumpty top-heavy problem. While Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter combined for 27 sacks last year, Schatz points out that edge rushers just don't play every snap -- Anderson and Hunter played 67% and 70%, respectively. With Derek Barnett and Denico Autry gone, the depth chart is incredibly weak.
Dominique Robinson only managed 1.5 sacks in 12 games with Chicago last year, and Dylan Horton has just a half-sack over three seasons.
KT would be the perfect luxury rotational piece to keep the Texans' pass-rush elite for every snap. The ESPN analyst suggested Houston is a "perfect landing spot" for a veteran who can play a rotational role; Thibodeaux fits that bill while also offering the age profile to be a long-term fixture alongside Anderson if they choose to pay him long term.
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jags are in desperate need of a rotational edge to play behind Travon Walker and Josh Hines-Allen. Right now, their third option is B.J. Green II, a 2025 UDFA with two career sacks, followed by 2026 fourth-rounder Wesley Williams.
While Arik Armstead can occasionally kick outside, Schatz makes it clear that Jacksonville needs to be looking at the same veteran market as their division rivals in Houston. And it's an uninspiring group.
By calling up Schoen, the Jaguars could leapfrog the rotational tier and land a potential high-end starter in Thibs. It allows them to keep Walker and Hines-Allen fresh without a massive drop-off in production when they rest, transforming a thin position group into arguably the deepest pass-rushing unit in the AFC South.
Seattle Seahawks
Seattle loves to rotate their front, with their top four edge players last year all playing between 36% and 56% of snaps. However, Boye Mafe’s departure in free agency left a hole that hasn't been properly filled.
DeMarcus Lawrence and Uchenna Nwosu are both aging (34 and 30), and the depth behind them -- Patrick O’Connell and Jared Ivey -- has combined for exactly one sack in three seasons.
Although the Seahawks recently added Dante Fowler Jr., he'll turn 32 before next season starts. Thibodeaux offers a younger, more explosive alternative to the 30-plus crowd currently occupying the Pacific Northwest. Adding the former Oregon standout to Seattle's rotation would give Mike Macdonald an elite defensive depth piece to utilize relentlessly, like he did to beat the New England Patriots in last year's Super Bowl.
The Dallas Cowboys were also on the list of teams desperate for pass-rush help, but we're not in the business of helping them out. They can kick rocks.
Add us as a preferred source on Google