The Detroit Lions have had a challenging start to the new season. After giving up 71 points in the first two games, their defense is certainly in need of help, with the quality of the depth becoming a serious concern. The injuries to the star safeties Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch have weakened the secondary, while cornerback Avonte Maddox’s season-ending foot injury is the latest blow.
Amid these concerns, Brad Holmes is in search of quality defenders who can be acquired through trade. The New York Giants‘ edge Kayvon Thibodeaux could be one such option, with the Lions floated as a potential suitor, per Bleacher Report‘s Kristopher Knox.
“He’s (Kayvon) set to be a free agent in 2027,” Knox wrote recently. “If the Giants aren’t sold on keeping him and don’t believe they can consistently win without Dart, now is the time to move Thibodeaux.”
Given that the 25-year-old is in the last year of his contract, it would make sense to trade him before he becomes a free agent next year. His projected trade value is a third-round pick from the 2027 NFL Draft.
If Thibodeaux indeed goes to the Lions, he could be a great option to pair with Aidan Hutchinson.
A Hutchinson-Thibodeaux Pairing Could Change Lions’ Pass Rush Game
Aidan Hutchinson has been the leader of the Lions defense for a while, including this year. Despite the poor display of the Lions defense, the Pro Bowler has shown his mettle in two games, registering 3.0 sacks and 8 total tackles. However, he doesn’t have a reliable pass rusher to complement him on the other side, and that’s where the Giants star could fit in.
Kayvon Thibodeaux was the first-round pick (5th overall) from the 2022 draft— the same year Hutchinson was also drafted by the Lions in the first round. Despite the promise and flashes of his elite talent, his career hasn’t been as impactful in New York.
But it could change in Detroit, with Kelvin Sheppard looking for a talented edge rusher on the other side of Hutchinson. The Giants star is an explosive pass rusher who has explosive first-step quickness to put the offensive tackles on the back foot. Playing him alongside Hutchinson would give the Lions the leverage to focus on both sides and give the latter to attack more one-on-one.
In addition, he could fit in the scheme. With two top pass rushers on the edge, it would give the Lions’ backfield to focus more on closing the passing lanes, which has been an issue for the secondary this season.
His potential fit in the Lions’ defense is one thing, but his production in the NFL shows how much he could bring to the table.
Kayvon Thibodeaux Has Produced 23.5 Sacks in Four Seasons
Kayvon Thibodeaux is entering his fifth NFL season, but he is only 25. In his first four seasons with the Giants, he started each game he played. The former first-round pick has started 53 games.
As a starting defender for the Big Blue in the past four seasons, he has piled up 23.5 career sacks and 154 tackles, 56 QB hits, and 31 TFLs. Thibodeaux’s best production came in his sophomore year when he started all 17 games and finished with a remarkable career-high 11.5 sacks and 50 tackles.
In his final year with the Giants, he is playing as a rotational player. For the first time since entering the league, he didn’t start for the Giants against the Cowboys and Rams, making a trade to the Detroit Lions a possibility, where he could be an immediate starter.
Detroit Lions Floated as Landing Spot for 23.5-Sack DL