Expectations for the New York Giants this season are understandably very high after hiring John Harbaugh as their next head coach, as well as striking gold this offseason in both free agency and the draft.
That doesn’t mean, however, that there still aren’t lingering questions about this team, particularly regarding some of its players. While they addressed a couple of those questions by trading Dexter Lawrence to the Cincinnati Bengals and declining the fifth-year option of former first-round pick Deonte Banks, New York may not be done reshaping its roster.
And as the offseason continues to roll on leading up to training camp, the Giants will have to answer this obvious question about the future of another recent first-round pick who has yet to reach his full potential.
Giants must answer questions about Kayvon Thibodeaux’s future
In an article for CBS Sports, Tyler Sullivan explained that whether Kayvon Thibodeaux will be traded is the biggest question for the Giants, with his future in New York uncertain:
"There had already been trade rumors revolving around Kayvon Thibodeaux leading up to the NFL Draft, but it amplified after Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese fell to the Giants at No. 5 overall. Once he was selected, Thibodeaux's future in New York was squarely called into question. While there were plenty of reports that suggested the Giants were fielding offers for Thibodeaux, they have publicly denied that they are looking to move him.
Something will need to give here, however, as Thibodeaux is entering the final year of his rookie deal after the Giants picked up his fifth-year option last offseason. After taking Reese and fellow pass rusher Abdul Carter in the first round over the last two years, along with the presence of Brian Burns, an extension for Thibodeaux doesn't seem like it's in the cards, which makes a trade a likely outcome here at some point."
When Arvell Reese seemingly fell into the Giants' lap with the No. 5 pick in the draft after the Tennessee Titans opted to draft Carnell Tate at No. 4, it immediately put Thibodeaux's future with the Giants in question, especially with Big Blue already having both Brian Burns and Abdul Carter.
This also led to trade rumors swirling around Thibodeaux, which the Giants flat-out denied. Still, it feels like it would be a bit of a shock if the former first-round pick is still on the roster. Since being drafted fifth overall in the 2022 draft, the 25-year-old has only had one season in which he's posted 10 sacks or more, which came in 2023 when he racked up 11.5 sacks.
Since then, Thibodeaux has had to nurse multiple injuries, including last season, when a shoulder injury sidelined him and limited him to 10 games with just 2.5 sacks. Thibodeaux also missed five games during the 2024 season when he suffered a wrist injury.
These trade rumors will not go away anytime soon due to the selection of the aforementioned Reese, Thibodeaux’s lack of production, and his ability to stay healthy on the field. This lingering question surrounding his future is not going away anytime soon.
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