There will be plenty of roster decisions for the New York Giants for the 2025 season as the draft gets close. While all eyes will be on what they will do at quarterback—whether that’s signing Aaron Rodgers, Russell Wilson, or drafting a young gunslinger with the third overall pick—Big Blue’s roster still has many more holes to fill.
Despite New York having made some huge splashes this offseason in improving their team on both sides of the ball, there are certainly more questions than answers that need to be addressed. And when it comes to moves across the NFL, anything can happen. Could this shocking trade prediction for the G-MEN be another one of those surprise moves we see across the NFL?
Pro Football Focus has the Giants traded this former first-round pick in shocking move
Probably to the dismay of many Giants fans, Bradley Locker of Pro Football Focus has the Giants trading edge rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux ahead of the upcoming NFL Draft. Thibodeaux was selected fifth overall by the Giants in the 2022 draft and has had a bit of an up-and-down tenure in the NFL. Still, this prediction by Locker is a little surprising, especially after New York lost fellow edge rusher Azeez Ojulari to the Philadelphia Eagles.
"The Giants are in a strange place from a roster construction standpoint in that they either have untouchable young players or players who seemingly wouldn’t attract much interest. The one player who might fit into an alternate category is Thibodeaux," Locker wrote.
"The former fifth-overall pick displayed encouraging signs last season with a 72.0 PFF pass-rushing grade, but he saw time on only 593 snaps. Reports have indicated that Thibodeaux’s fifth-year option will be picked up, which would probably nix a trade, but it’s possible that general manager Joe Schoen could deal Thibodeaux, not worry about the option and draft someone instead — such as Penn State's Abdul Carter at third overall."
Even though Locker did note that the Giants could opt for a younger edge rusher in Abdul Carter with the No. 3 overall pick who may have more upside than Thibodeaux, seeing Big Blue trade Thibodeaux within the next month or so seems pretty unlikely, especially with the anticipation that Joe Schoen and Co. are expected to pick up his fifth-year option.
Despite Thibodeaux battling numerous injuries since entering the league—as he’s dealt with a sprained MCL in preseason before the 2022 season and, most recently, a wrist injury that required surgery last season—he has proven when healthy to be a top edge rusher in the league.
After all, it hasn’t been that long ago since Thibodeaux posted a career-best 11.5 sacks during the 2023 season, as well as forcing three fumbles, four pass deflections, and a fumble recovery. The stats are there; he can be a force to be reckoned with if the 24-year-old is out on the field. Despite a bit of uncertainty on whether he has a long-term future or not in New York, trading Kayvon Thibodeaux seems like it’s not in the best interest of the Giants at this point.