After an explosive start to the 2025 NFL Draft following the Jacksonville Jaguars' move up in the order to select two-way star Travis Hunter, the New York Giants made the pick everyone expected them to make when they selected Penn State pass rusher Abdul Carter with the No. 3 overall pick.
This move may not fill the biggest need for the Giants, however, as they have two solid starting pass rushers in $30 million man Brian Burns and former No. 5 pick Kayvon Thibodeaux. The Carter selection could be very bad news for one-half of this tandem.
Thibodeaux, who has been regarded as a very inconsistent player throughout his tenure with the Giants, may be on the trade block as a result of this move, as the Giants could both get some extra Draft capital in the process while also freeing up a space for Carter to come right in as a starter.
Giants may trade Kayvon Thibodeaux after Abdul Carter selection
Thibodeaux's 21 sacks in three years paint him in a very confusing light. He is good enough to start in the NFL and be an effective two-way player, but that type of production is not worth paying an exorbitant amount for on the open market.
Carter, meanwhile, would give the Giants an immediate double-digit sack threat who can play the run, use his burst to blow by even the most athletic tackles out there, and use his preposterous bend to counter veteran pass protectors. Carter is one of the safest players in this class, which could make life tough for Thibodeaux.
Any contender who will need a young player that can still be very effective in the right scheme might be willing to dump a king's ransom (or maybe, slightly less) to the Giants to acquire Thibodeaux, which would help them turn this page and move on to the Carter era.