The New York Giants might be positioned to land a superstar pass-rusher prospect in the first round of this year’s draft. But what would that mean for the future of Kayvon Thibodeaux?
Would drafting Abdul Carter complicate the Giants’ defensive line?
The expectation at this point is that the Giants will pass on Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders with the third overall pick and instead draft the best prospect available. Recent reports indicate that the Cleveland Browns are leaning toward taking Colorado CB/WR Travis Hunter, which would leave the Giants with Penn State EDGE Abdul Carter as the best player on the draft board.
If Carter is the pick for Big Blue, his addition could complicate things for Thibodeaux. The former 2022 fifth-overall pick has not necessarily lived up to the expectations of where he was drafted thus far. While there are certainly ways for Carter and Thibodeaux to co-exist on this defensive line, the Giants have already poured a significant amount of assets into their defensive front.
Brian Burns makes over $30 million per season, and Dexter Lawrence trails closely behind. Thibodeaux is in a contract year and, depending on how he performs in 2025, could be due for a major pay raise next offseason. From a financial standpoint, a defensive line of Carter, Thibodeaux, Burns, and Lawrence might not make a ton of sense.
Thibodeaux would surely be the odd man out in this scenario, as he has the least amount of time remaining on his contract. So, with this in mind, could the Giants make a bold move on draft night to ship off Thibodeaux and land a franchise quarterback?
Giants could use Kayvon Thibodeaux as a trade chip for a rookie quarterback
The Giants currently hold the No. 34 overall pick in this year’s draft (second in the second round). If they pass on Sanders with the third overall pick, they would be highly unlikely to land him in Round 2. However, Sanders could end up sliding, potentially even as far as outside of the top 10.
If Sanders slides outside of the top 10, perhaps the Giants could make a trade to get up inside the top 20 picks and take him there. That might pose better value for the franchise if they feel as though Sanders is worth a first, but not worth a top-three selection.
- Giants could build a thunder and lightning duo at running back
- Giants could take powerful Ohio State guard at the top of the second round
- Could the Giants trade one of their young stars for a quarterback in the draft?
Thibodeaux would be the obvious trade candidate in this scenario, where the Giants take Carter with their first pick and aim to jump back into the first round for Sanders. A trade package in the ballpark of pick No. 34, a third-round pick, and a future top-100 selection along with Thibodeaux might be enough to get the Giants picking in the teens.
A first-round haul of both Carter and Sanders might sound too good to be true, and it probably is. However, stranger things have happened, and if there is one thing we know about the NFL Draft, it’s that it is wholly unpredictable.