Kayvon Thibodeaux, New York Giants
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Kayvon Thibodeaux #5 of the New York Giants takes the field against the San Francisco 49ers before the game at MetLife Stadium.
The New York Giants have had a busy offseason, bringing some important players back into the fold while also adding pieces to supplement the rest of the roster.
Unfortunately, there’s almost no cap space remaining. Over the Cap currently has them at about $3 million, which means they won’t even be able to sign their incoming draft class without going into the red.
The good news is, the Giants still have avenues in front of them to free up some money, the most obvious being edge rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux.
The former 2022 first-round pick is playing out his fifth-year option and is due $14.75 million in 2026.
Trade rumors swirled around the NFL Combine, but it’s been quiet since then. Is New York looking to dump the former fifth overall pick to clear salary?
Dan Duggan Provides Kayvon Thibodeaux Trade Update
The Athletic’s Dan Duggan provided an update on the Thibodeaux front, and it doesn’t seem like the New York Giants are actively pursuing a trade.
They’ll let the market come to them, as opposed to actively shopping the former Oregon standout.
“There have been no indications Thibodeaux will be moved; the belief remains the Giants are willing to move the 2022 first-round pick for the right package, but they aren’t looking to give him away,” wrote Duggan.
“The Giants can afford to be patient, as having a quality No. 3 edge rusher is a luxury. But if Thibodeaux can be turned into an asset, whether a draft pick or a player, and the move produces significant cap savings, that would be a favorable outcome.”
The fact of the matter is, the Giants have a surplus of edge rushers. Brian Burns is coming off an All-Pro season, and Abdul Carter was the No. 3 pick in the draft last year. It’s going to be difficult to get Thibodeaux meaningful playing time in such a stacked group.
It’s wise for New York to bide its time, waiting for the right offer to come. It can only continue to drive the price up.
But trading Thibodeaux and getting value back for a player that they likely have no intention of re-signing after the 2026 season is the best way to go.
The cherry on top is the amount of cap space the team would save. They could make another meaningful addition, such as a higher-priced guard like former Cleveland Brown Joel Bitonio.
How Else Can the Giants Create Cap Space?
Trading Thibodeaux isn’t the only way the New York Giants can clean up their books this offseason.
They’ve already shown their willingness to restructure contracts. The Giants freed up $15 million by moving around some of Burns’ money two weeks ago.
The next restructure could come from left tackle Andrew Thomas, who Duggan claims could open up another $11 million in cap space.
New York could also cut ties with kicker Graham Gano, who is due $4.5 million in 2026. They signed Jason Sanders early in free agency as the likely replacement.
Duggan noted that the Giants will likely “wait to release Gano until he can pass a physical,” due to guaranteed language in his contract.
New York still has plenty of options when it comes to creating cap space, but trading Thibodeaux would easily open up the most.