Alexander Wilson
The Giants do not need to turn Kayvon Thibodeaux into a problem just because the edge room suddenly looks crowded. Good teams hoard pass rushers. Bad teams talk themselves into having too many.
Recent OTA reporting had Brian Burns and Abdul Carter getting most of the first-team edge reps, which is worth noting, but it should not be treated like Thibodeaux has suddenly lost value. The Giants have a luxury forming before they have a crisis.
Thibodeaux is playing on his fifth-year option, which Spotrac lists at $14.751 million, and he is scheduled to hit free agency in 2027. That contract makes the future conversation real, but it does not mean the Giants should force the issue in May.
Three edge rushers is not a problem
Burns is the proven star. Carter is the explosive young piece who can tilt the whole defensive front if he takes the expected jump. Thibodeaux gives them another powerful edge with enough production and pedigree to matter.
Dennard Wilson should want exactly that kind of group. He can rotate bodies, build NASCAR looks, kick certain players inside on passing downs, and keep everyone fresher deep into games. If the Giants want to become more aggressive and multiple, this is the kind of depth that lets them do it.
The mistake would be treating first-team OTA reps like a final depth chart. Spring football is about installation, combinations, and seeing what different packages look like. Thibodeaux not being the first name in a walkthrough does not erase his usefulness.
The deadline is the real checkpoint
The trade conversation only becomes interesting if the Giants fall out of contention and Thibodeaux’s expiring-contract value becomes more useful as a chip than as a rotational weapon. That belongs to October, not May.
If the Giants are competitive, moving an edge rusher with real talent would be a strange way to act like a serious team. If they are buried by the deadline, then sure, Joe Schoen has to listen. A player with no dead cap in a trade and a $14.751 million salary can create flexibility quickly.
For now, I would lean into the strength. The Giants already have Abdul Carter flashing, Burns still changes protections, and Thibodeaux gives them a third hammer. Call it a luxury, not a logjam. Dangerous fronts are built this way.
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