The New York Giants are in a transition period, and that could mean moving on from a former fifth-overall pick.
With new head coach John Harbaugh in the building, New York has some work to do this offseason to try to turn around one of the most historic franchises in the NFL.
Giants Looking For the Right Value to Trade Kayvon Thibodeaux
One of the moves that might happen is parting ways with defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux.
The Giants drafted Thibodeaux with the fifth overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft out of Oregon.
The first-round pick had a solid rookie year, collecting 49 tackles, 6 for loss, 13 quarterback hits, and 4 sacks. He also added five passes defended, 2 forced fumbles, and 2 fumble recoveries, including one he returned for a touchdown.
That led to a breakout in Year 2. Thibodeaux set career-highs across the board with 50 tackles, 12 for loss, 16 quarterback hits, and 11.5 sacks. He had 4 passes defended, 3 forced fumbles, and 1 fumble recovery.
However, the last two years have brought some disappointment as there hasn’t been growth in the former fifth-overall pick’s game, and there’s been a decrease in performance.
Thibodeaux has played in 22 games in the last two seasons compared to 31 in his first two. He has 53 tackles, 13 for loss, 26 quarterback hits, and 8 sacks across the last two seasons.
With his recent production, the Giants are searching for a trade partner this offseason.
“Based on conversations with teams that met with New York, the sense is they would prefer to. They are actively exploring trade options,” NFL insider Connor Hughes wrote (SNY). “Harbaugh, Aponte and Schoen must determine the appropriate value.”
That’s where the difficulty comes into play. The New York Jets traded defensive end Jermaine Johnson, who was the 26th-overall pick in Thibodeaux’s draft, to the Tennessee Titans for nose tackle T’Vondre Sweat.
Hughes reported the Jets did not get any offers, including a second or third-round pick for Johnson.
Now, Thibodeaux was 21 picks higher in the 2022 draft and has played more consistently and more productively in his four years than Johnson, but the Giants certainly want more than a fourth-round pick for Thibodeaux.
“The question for the Giants: is that compensation, along with $14.75 million in salary cap relief, sufficient?” Hughes wrote. “League sources expect New York to ultimately move him.”
With Brian Burns, Dexter Lawrence and Abdul Carter (if he continues to develop), the Giants have a very strong front and have the flexibility to move a player with the talent of Thibodeaux.
However, they’ll have to see if they can get a Day 2 pick for the former first-rounder or if the compensation they’re expecting is enough to pull the trigger.
