Giants will pick up Kayvon Thibodeaux’s fifth-year option

GM Joe Schoen says Thibodeaux is going to be a Giant

Pump the brakes on those Kayvon Thibodeaux trade rumors. After selecting Penn State edge defender No. 3 overall in the 2025 NFL Draft, New York Giants general manager Joe Schoen said the team will pick up Thibodeaux’s fifth-year option.

“We’re going to exercise his fifth-year option,” Schoen said. “We’ve already told him that earlier this week.”

There has been speculation that if they got Carter into the fold the Giants would use Thibodeaux, the fifth overall pick in the 2022 draft, as a trade chip.

“I know that stuff’s [trade rumors] out there,” Schoen said. “Kayvon’s going to be here. We’re excited to have him.

“You can’t have enough pass rushers.”

Thibodeaux’s fifth-year option will cost the Giants $14.751 million against the salary cap, per Over The Cap.

Schoen is not concerned about how the Giants will fit three premium edge defenders into two spots.

“Shane [Bowen] and his staff and Dabes will get together and figure out the creativity of how we’re going to use the personnel,” Schoen said.

Thibodeaux had 11.5 sacks in 2023 and has 21 sacks in 43 career NFL games.