All appears quiet for the New York Giants at the moment on the potential Kayvon Thibodeaux trade front.
Rumors have swirled ever since the Giants made Abdul Carter the No. 3 pick in last year’s draft that the Giants could trade Thibodeaux, who will play 2026 on his fifth-year option. To this point, nothing has materialized.
Dan Duggan of The Athletic wrote Wednesday that there are “no indications” that the Giants will be trading the first player Joe Schoen ever drafted as a general manager.
There have been no indications Thibodeaux will be moved; the belief remains the Giants are willing to move the 2022 first-round pick for the right package, but they aren’t looking to give him away. The Giants can afford to be patient, as having a quality No. 3 edge rusher is a luxury. But if Thibodeaux can be turned into an asset, whether a draft pick or a player, and the move produces significant cap savings, that would be a favorable outcome.
Valentine’s View
Here is how I see the Thibodeaux situation.
First, there are lots of media-generated Thibodeaux trade proposals out there. That is part of the speculation game that happens during the offseason. That does not mean the teams in those made-up speculative trades are really discussing those deals, or that they have actually been proposed.
When you see Ian Rapoport, Adam Schefter, or another well-connected national media member or Giants beat writer report that a trade idea is actually on the table that is when to pay attention.
The Giants can save $14.75 million on the salary cap if they trade Thibodeaux before the season begins. If they were interested in making him a salary dump, they would have moved him a few weeks ago to have that money available to spend in the first wave of free agency.
Could they trade him for draft capital? Sure. Will they? Not just to be rid of him or to open cap room. As Duggan said, “they aren’t looking to give him away.”
Schoen admitted at the NFL Scouting Combine that teams asked about Thibodeaux at the NFL trade deadline last season. There have been reports that teams have continued to ask about him this offseason.
“Right now Kayvon is going to be with us,” Schoen said. “He played well. He’s going into his fifth year and he’s motivated.You can’t have enough pass rushers. You really can’t.”
Schoen did say the Giants would listen to offers because “you take into consideration everything … we’re always going to listen.”
So, what would be the “right package” to convince the Giants to move on?
Maybe that would be a player of a similar age at a position of need. In theory, if the Giants got draft capital in return, it would be outstanding to get a third-round pick after giving up their 2026 third-round pick in last year’s Jaxson Dart deal.
Most indications have been, though, that a fourth-round pick seems to be about the best the Giants could get. Perhaps the Giants hang on to Thibodeaux and see if a better offer materializes at the 2026 trade deadline. Or, they try to play the compensatory pick game.
Here is a question, though. Is a “potential” third-round compensatory pick in the 2028 NFL Draft — which is when the Giants could get a comp pick for Thibodeaux — worth waiting for rather than taking a fourth-round pick via trade in the current draft? Play the comp pick game, and that is when you “might” get a pick for letting Thibodeaux go in free agency.
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