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Giants Trade Pitch Nets Huge Return for Former 1st-Round Pick
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- Giants Trade Pitch Nets Huge Return for Former 1st-Round Pick
New York Giants edge rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux. Getty
The New York Giants seem to be betting heavily on the supply-and-demand model when it comes to former 1st-round pick Kayvon Thibodeaux.
The Giants are betting that, over the next few months, NFL teams will get so desperate for edge rushers that Thibodeaux's trade value will climb to a pretty significant return — something Bleacher Report's Kristopher Knox believes will happen in his latest trade pitch, predicting the Giants will get a 2027 2nd-round pick in return for trading Thibodeaux to the New England Patriots.
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"One of the Patriots' biggest weaknesses is their pass rush," Knox wrote on September 4. "While New England did sign Dre'Mont Jones and use a second-round pick on Illinois' Gabe Jacas, it also recorded just 34 sacks as a team last season. If the Patriots' pass rush struggles again early in 2026, don't be shocked if they go chasing sack artists on the trade market—and given their desire to avoid the dreaded Super Bowl hangover, don't be surprised if they get a little desperate. Earlier in the offseason, the New York Giants were listening to offers for 2022 first-round pick Kayvon Thibodeaux, who is entering the final year of his rookie deal. However, they couldn't find a buyer at their desired price. The Patriots, who are looking to build rather than rebuild, might be more eager to meet New York's demands, even if a trade for Thibodeaux would require a new contract."
Thibodeaux, 25, could be playing for a massive payday in 2027 — Spotrac projects his market value as a 4-year, $74.6 million contract in free agency.
What Giants Expect in Return for Thibodeaux
The Giants' asking price for Thibodeaux this offseason was reportedly a 2nd-round pick — something no team seemed ready to match.
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The Athletic's Dan Duggan revealed the Giants received offers for Thibodeaux, exactly what those offers were, and why they didn't bite.
"The Giants took trade calls on Thibodeaux this offseason, but they were never looking to give him away, so they kept him when the best offer was a fourth-round pick," Duggan wrote. "It seems likely Thibodeaux will be elsewhere next year based on the Giants' investment in Burns and Carter. But the Steelers showed this offseason a team can pay three edge rushers when they gave third edge rusher Nick Herbig a four-year, $100 million extension. The Steelers are already paying TJ Watt ($41 million per year) and Alex Highsmith ($17 million per year). The Giants have some wiggle room if they want to commit to Thibodeaux, since Carter can't be extended until after the 2027 season while Burns is signed through 2028."
Kayvon Thibodeaux Coming Off Rough Season
Thibodeaux missed a career-high 7 games with a shoulder injury in 2025 and finished with a career low 2.5 sacks. He now finds himself firmly behind NFL All-Pro Brian Burns and 2025 No. 3 overall pick Abdul Carter on the depth chart.
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The Cowboys might have the key to finally unlocking Thibodeaux's potential with a new defensive coordinator in 34-year-old former Philadelphia Eagles assistant coach Christian Parker.
Thibodeaux, 6-foot-5 and 258 pounds, was the No. 5 overall pick in the 2022 NFL draft out of the University of Oregon — a year in which the Giants had 2 picks in the Top 10 and also took offensive tackle Evan Neal at No. 7 overall. Neal was cut as part of final roster cuts on Sunday and is now on the practice squad for the Las Vegas Raiders .
Through their first 4 seasons, neither Thibodeaux nor Neal has made a Pro Bowl, and both were taken ahead of 4 different 1,000-yard receivers in Drake London , Garrett Wilson , Chris Olave , and Jameson Williams .
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