Anthony Rivardo
The New York Giants’ pass rush group appears to be one of the best in the NFL on paper. It’s headlined by Brian Burns, who is coming off a 16.5 sack campaign, and Abdul Carter, whom the Giants selected third overall last year. Then they added Arvell Reese with the fifth-overall pick this year — an elite inside linebacker prospect who rotates as an edge rusher.
Unfortunately, 2022 fifth-overall pick Kayvon Thibodeaux is often seen as the forgotten man in this group. He spent much of this offseason with his name in the trade rumor mill as he enters this season playing on a $14.75 million fifth-year option.
This season might decide whether the Giants view him as part of the next core or as a luxury they can live without.
Kayvon Thibodeaux has flashed early in 2026 OTAs
Giants.com noted that Thibodeaux had an active practice at OTA No. 2 last week. He got around the quarterback a couple of times and showed a quick spin move while working after the passer. He also closed quickly on short passes and was in position to stop a quarterback scramble.
That is exactly the type of activity the Giants need from him. No one should overreact to one OTA practice, but spring flashes matter more for players who are trying to reframe the conversation around them. Thibodeaux has had his name pop up as a standout performer in several of the Giants’ practice reports during OTAs this spring as well.
But Thibodeaux does not necessarily need to prove he has talent. He needs to prove that the production can still match the investment. The OTA burst is a start. The real test comes when pads go on, and the Giants need him to win meaningful snaps opposite Burns and Carter.
The 2025 production was not enough
The reason this year feels so important is that Thibodeaux’s 2025 profile was not strong enough to make the long-term answer obvious.
PFF graded Thibodeaux at 66.0 overall in 2025, 61st among 115 qualified edge defenders. His pass-rush grade was just 58.0, and PFF credited him with 32 total pressures. He finished the year with 2.5 sacks and nine quarterback hits in 10 games. Injuries have also held Thibodeaux back from reaching his potential.
That production is not enough for a former No. 5 overall pick entering an expensive option year. There is still a useful player here, especially against the run. PFF had Thibodeaux with an 80.7 run-defense grade, which ranked seventh among qualified edge defenders. That gives him a floor in the rotation. But the Giants need more than a sturdy edge setter from a player carrying this kind of cap number.
The Giants need Thibodeaux to justify his contract
Thibodeaux is entering the fifth year of his rookie deal, which is slated to pay him $14.751 million. That is the heart of the issue. A nearly $15-million cap hit for a third pass rusher is a pricey luxury piece.
The Giants can justify keeping three quality edge rushers if all three are impacting games. Burns is not going anywhere. Carter is a building block. Thibodeaux is the one who has to prove his place is still secure.
The structure of the defense could help him. If Carter draws more attention in Year 2 and Burns remains the primary problem for protection plans, Thibodeaux should see more favorable opportunities than most third edge rushers.
He can still change the conversation
This season does not have to be framed as a goodbye tour. Thibodeaux is still young, still talented, and still capable of affecting games in multiple ways. The Giants also do not need him to chase 15 sacks to prove he belongs. If he can become a consistent complementary rusher, defend the run, and punish offenses for tilting toward Burns and Carter, that has real value.
But the bar has changed. The Giants are no longer waiting for Thibodeaux to become the pass-rush centerpiece. They are asking whether he can be a core piece in a front that suddenly has more options.
That is why the OTA burst was encouraging, but not enough by itself. Thibodeaux has to carry that energy into camp, into the preseason, and into Sundays. Thibodeaux will feel the pressure of a contract year, and that could spark something from him. He has an opportunity to earn significantly more money on his next deal if he performs well this season. But, in such a crowded Giants front, opportunities might be limited, and New York might not be able to extend Thibodeaux past the 2026 season.
More about:New York Giants
