Plenty of excitement surrounds New York Giants second-year pass-rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux. The fifth overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft turned heads as a rookie, showing up in clutch moments and placing fourth in the AP Defensive Rookie of the Year voting.
Thibodeaux posted a modest four sacks as a rookie, a number that the 22-year-old is looking to increase in 2023. While speaking with the media at OTAs, Thibodeaux gave reporters insight into his goals for the upcoming season, including his desire to finish the season with a higher sack total.
Giants’ Kayvon Thibodeaux looking to total more sacks in 202
As a rookie, Thibodeaux posted a modest four sacks in 14 games. Despite his low sack production, Thibodeaux was still considered to be a disruptive pass-rusher, totaling 40 pressures during his first season.
Heading into 2023, one of Thibs’ main goals is to finish more pass rushes, resulting in more sacks this upcoming season.
“Getting sacks, finishing,” Thibodeaux responded when asked what he wants to do better next season, per Giants.com. “There were a lot of times when I had a good pass rush that I didn’t finish. You realize the guy on the other side of the line is paid a lot of money. They’re not going to let (the quarterback) get touched. Continuing to sharpen the end of my rush, that third phase, and make sure I start to finish.”
Thibodeaux revealed that he fell short of his own expectations last season, failing to reach the number of sacks he was aiming for. However, Thibs stressed that he remains solely focused on winning.
“Because I had a number on it last year, and I figured out that the season is so long that you have to do it by game,” he said. “If I can make impactful plays like I was able to do and continue to win, I mean, no one will ever remember me. As long as we win, as long as I continue to play well, play for my teammates I think, I’ll be good.”
Thibodeaux said he spent a lot of time this offseason rewatching his rookie year, studying his film, and pinpointing areas to improve.
“I was trying to find out how I can eliminate as many bad plays as possible. I don’t think there were that many bad plays, but even the rushes that I didn’t finish, just trying to figure out what I can do to finish.”
Expectations are high for Thibodeaux entering his second season. As one of the top young pass-rushers in the NFL, Thibodeaux has an opportunity to add his name to the elite list of Giants pass-rushers that came before him. To get his name into that conversation, however, Thibodeaux will need to take his game to the next level in 2023.