The New England Patriots have made it abundantly clear that they're looking to add pass-rushers.
Mike Vrabel admitted that he was spending the majority of his time in meetings with edge players during the first several days at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine. Eliot Wolf acknowledged that the organization needed more production from that unit moving forward.
It's no secret how important making additions will be...
Who? When? How?
The Patriots could look to add during the 2026 NFL Draft (Mizzou's Zion Young, Miami's Akheem Mesidor, Texas A&M's Cashius Howell) or through free agency (Jaelan Phillips, Trey Hendrickson, Boye Mafe, Odafe Oweh), but one increasingly likely option seems to come in the form of trading for New York Giants defensive lineman Kayvon Thibodeaux.
SNY's Connor Hughes reported that the club is actively shopping the former first-round pick on Monday.
Thibodeaux, 25, is an interesting case, as he certainly has the talent to become a difference-maker but has seen his sack totals decrease from 11.5 to 5.5 to 2.5 across 2023, 2024 and 2025. If you're critical of the player, you could say his lack of effort in the running game has led to decreased opportunities. If you're a believer, you could say that he has just been passed over by the likes of Brian Burns and Abdul Carter. I'd be willing to venture a guess that the truth lies somewhere in the middle.
New England is uniquely equipped to swing a trade for the No. 5 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, as they presumed compensation of a fourth- or fifth-round pick is something they can swing while also paying him the fifth-year option of nearly $15 million that he is owed in 2026.
It's a short-term solution that could turn into a long-term solution if everything works out for both sides. The Giants seemingly want to get out from underneath what has become a headache over the last couple of seasons, however, and their motivation could help facilitate a deal.