Ever since the New York Giants selected Abdul Carter with the third overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, the concerns have been the same: What will they do with Kayvon Thibodeaux?
Initially, it looked like Thibodeaux would be around for at least the next two seasons, if not more, after the G-Men picked up his fifth-year option immediately after the draft. But that doesn't mean there won't be suitors.
His 2024 season was marred by missed sack opportunities, but his advanced metrics suggest it was his best pass-rushing season yet, even if the counting stats indicated otherwise. He recorded 5.5 sacks... less than half of the 11.5 he posted the year prior (2023). Still, 21 sacks in three seasons is nothing to scoff at.
Trade rumors have swirled around Thibs long before they drafted Carter. They’re just louder now because some people apparently can’t imagine a world where three elite pass rushers coexist — like that’s some sort of wild concept. That's why it wasn't all that surprising to see his name pop up in trade rumors again. This time, they come from Brad Gagnon of Bleacher Report, who's already predicting a bold trade involving Thibodeaux at the 2025 deadline.
Bold trade prediction has Giants moving on from Kayvon Thibodeaux
Gagnon himself mentioned that having three elite pass rushers isn't necessarily an issue, writing, "However, having three good pass-rushers isn't a bad thing and it's possible the Giants hold on to their 2022 first-round pick for a while."
And while he's absolutely right, it's his further analysis that immediately contradicts his point:
"Still, considering shortcomings elsewhere, trading Thibodeaux to address a larger need would be logical, especially if the team is still alive as the deadline approaches."
The analysis makes some sense, but it reads inherently counterintuitive. You'd think if the G-Men were still in the playoff picture, their pass rush would likely have a lot to do with it. So why would they go out of their way to fix something that isn't broken?
Gagnon sees the Giants' success as a means to offload Thibs for more help for Russell Wilson. He sees one team rising above the rest to secure the 24-year-old: "The Lions have more money to spend than the Commanders and may feel the need to at least outbid them here to keep up with the Joneses in the NFC North."
Trading Kt is one thing, sending him over to the Detroit Lions is another. They are coming off a 27-7 two-year stretch, making the playoffs both years (NFC Championship Game appearance in 2023). They have been one of the best teams in the league over that stretch, and handing over a star pass rusher could put them over the top. Thibs would slot in opposite Aidan Hutchinson, instantly forming one of the league's more terrorizing duos. Additionally, the move would make it that much more difficult for the Giants to come out of the NFC.
That feels like a lose-lose. So, what's the harm in keeping him?
Carter, Thibodeaux, and Brian Burns might be the closest thing this league has to a next-gen pass-rushing nightmare. Their video from OTAs could be a sneak peek into what the league could expect moving forward.
Not long ago, Michael Strahan, Osi Umenyiora, and Justin Tuck delivered a Super Bowl to New York. Four years later, Tuck, Umenyiora, and Jason Pierre-Paul did it again. Having three elite edge rushers might be a luxury to some, but it just might be the only way this franchise knows how to win titles.
That’s not necessarily a problem to solve. That’s a strength to lean into. Trading Thibodeaux wouldn’t just be short-sighted — it’d be a complete betrayal of what this team was built to do.