Will the trade chatter around New York Giants edge rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux ever end?
The former first-round pick has been the subject of trade rumors for over a year now, but talks have heated up since the Giants drafted Arvell Reese with the fifth overall pick this offseason. No matter how much the team voices its intent to keep him, analysts can't help but cook up mock trades for the defender.
Bleacher Report writer Brent Sobleski is the latest to suggest a move. He laid out the remaining "to-do list" items for each NFL team in a recent article, and he listed trading Thibodeaux as a top priority for New York.
No, thanks. He can stay right where he is.
Giants can't afford to trade Kayvon Thibodeaux
Sobleski stated his case for a trade, saying, "Sooner or later, Kayvon Thibodeaux will be the odd man out. The Giants can maximize the 2022 first-round pick's value by trading him sooner rather than later."
Thibodeaux is a starting-caliber player forced into a backup role because of the quality of the players ahead of him. Classic trade scenario.
But if they move him, the Giants would be left with no depth at one of the most important positions on the field. Behind Brian Burns and Abdul Carter, New York would be set to rely on Trace Ford and Khalid Kareem in their edge rotation. Ford didn't play a snap last season after signing as a UDFA, and Kareem hasn't played more than 100 defensive snaps since 2021.
Reese can play on the edge, but the Giants have already made it known that he'll primarily be used as an off-ball linebacker in his rookie season. That's where he spent most of his time at Ohio State, and it's where he'll start his NFL career. Even if he eventually transitions into a more pass-rush-heavy role, he won't affect Thibodeaux's snap count this season.
If Reese did play more on the edge in 2026, the Giants still wouldn't have the depth they need at the position without Thibodeaux. Three players are not enough to build a rotation, especially in the modern NFL. Teams like the Seattle Seahawks rotate in hockey lines of defensive linemen to keep players fresh.
Unless the Giants bring in another veteran edge rusher, Thibodeaux trade talks are a non-starter. For now, we can focus on whether the fifth-year defender can take a step forward in 2026.
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