The Baltimore Ravens made 1 bold move to land an elite edge rusher when they signed NFL All-Pro Trey Hendrickson to a 4-year, $112 million free-agent contract in March.
Why not go for another 1? Especially if there’s an edge rusher on the market who amounts to a 1-year rental with a lot to prove …which just happens to be out there with former New York Giants 1st-round pick Kayvon Thibodeaux.
Thibodeaux Tops Trade List From Bleacher Report
Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox put Thibodeaux, a former 1st-round pick, at the top of his list of players NFL teams need to trade for after Week, and singled out the Ravens as the right team to make a move for him.
The Giants are coming off an upset win over the Dallas Cowboys in Week 1.
“The future of pass rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux remains murky at best,” Knox wrote. “The 2022 first-round pick will be a free agent next offseason. New York has added other premier edge talent. Brian Burns and Abdul Carter lead the pass-rushing rotation, while rookie linebacker Arvell Reese could eventually transition to being an edge player. Thibodeaux, meanwhile, appears to have become a pure rotation player under new head coach John Harbaugh. He played just 47 percent of the defensive snaps in Week 1, though he did log a quarterback hit. It’s always nice to have pass-rushing depth. At some point, however, the potential return in a trade will outweigh the value of having Thibodeaux as depth for the remainder of the season. If Thibodeaux can’t carve out a more prominent role, the Giants can’t expect to get a valuable compensatory pick by letting him walk in 2027 free agency.”
Giants Asking Price For Thibodeaux Remains Steady
Thibodeaux, the No. 5 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, is playing on the $14.75 million 5th-year option from his rookie contract, but Spotrac projects his market value as roughly a 4-year, $85 million contract.
The Athletic’s Dan Duggan put Thibodeaux at the top of his list of NFL players with the “most on the line” in 2026 — and a major motivation to play well.
“The Giants listened to trade calls on Thibodeaux this offseason, but elected to keep the No. 5 pick from the 2022 draft when the offers were underwhelming,” Duggan wrote on July 20. “Thibodeaux was available because the Giants traded for Brian Burns in 2024 and drafted Abdul Carter in 2025. Thibodeaux is set to earn $14.75 million on his fifth-year option as a backup. Though he won’t start, Thibodeaux will have opportunities to rush the passer. If he produces an 11.5-sack season as he did in 2023, a monster payday awaits. If he struggles in a reduced role, he could be headed for a prove-it deal in free agency.”
Ravens Trade Pitch Lands Projected $85 Million Edge Rusher