Giants’ former 1st-round pick making crucial training adjustment in hopes of better season

The New York Giants are waiting for a breakout from former 2022 fifth-overall pick Kayvon Thibodeaux. Through the first three seasons of his career, Thibodeaux has been a solid player for the Giants, but he has yet to develop into the potential game-wrecker that they had hoped.

Entering the 2025 season, Thibodeaux has been training hard this summer to reach new heights. He has even put together a unique new training regimen to help him improve in one key area of his game.

Kayvon Thibodeaux has been training in wrestling this offseason

Thibodeaux has spent much of this offseason training in wrestling to help him better finish plays on the football field.

“Wrestling is another form of tackling,” Thibodeaux said Thursday afternoon after the second practice of his fourth training camp per the Giants’ official website. “I just wanted to make sure that I can use some techniques from wrestling into football.”

Last season, Thibodeaux recorded 5.5 sacks in 12 games — a step back from the 11.5 sacks he totaled across 17 games the season prior.

However, as Thibodeaux recently pointed out in a social media post, many of his sacks last season were half sacks. Finishing the play and bringing the quarterback down on his own has become a major priority.

Giants hoping for a breakout from Thibodeaux

Although he has flashed potential greatness through the first three seasons of his career, Thibodeaux has not become the consistently dominant force that the Giants hoped he would when they selected him fifth overall in the draft.

Thibodeaux is one of four pass-rushers on New York’s defensive line with potential game-wrecking talent. He is joined by Brian Burns, Dexter Lawrence, and newcomer Abdul Carter.

The Giants selected Carter third overall in this year’s draft despite having burned a top-five pick on Thibodeaux just a few offseasons ago. This has elevated the pressure from fans surrounding Thibodeaux as Carter figures to step in as an immediate difference-maker, potentially cutting into Thibodeaux’s playing time this season.

The hope is for Thibodeaux to play at a higher level this season, forcing the defensive staff to keep him on the field and deploy him alongside Carter and Burns. This new quartet of pass rushers certainly has the potential to put up high sack totals this season.