He’s not able to help the New York Giants while he recovers from a season-ending knee injury, but All-Pro edge-rusher Brian Burns has offered strong insight into the future of a favorite name in trade rumors, an “unsung hero” who still has plenty of value for Big Blue.
Burns told NFL on ESPN why his fellow edge defender Kayvon Thibodeaux has the respect of teammates and performs a vital role across the front seven. As Burns put it, “My boy Thibs, there’s a lot of talk about him as well, and you know, he’s really the unsung hero in this whole thing. Like, even when I was on the field, he was like the glue that made it stick.”
That’s high praise from the Giants‘ most productive pass-rusher. Burns hasn’t played since suffering an injury that was worse than first thought against the Tennessee Titans in Week 3, but he was coming off a 16.5-sack campaign, and he still thinks Thibodeaux does things neither he nor 2025 NFL draft third-overall pick Abdul Carter can do for this defense.
Those things are important enough to make the Giants think twice about trading Thibodeaux before the deadline at 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday, November 10.
Brian Burns Reveals All About ‘Unsung Hero’
Burns credits Thibodeaux for being “a guy you can kick down to the three(technique). He’s the guy that can, you know, balance up the rest, balance in the A-gap. He was strong enough to play a lot of those positions, where me and Abdul wasn’t really in there unless we was off the ball, coming down. He also does a lot of dirty work in the run game and he’s taking over SAM for me, so he’s been dropping a bit too, but he’s the unsung hero.”
A range of skills this wide makes Thibodeaux a vital cog within the Giants’ hybrid 3-4 fronts. The 25-year-old’s doing a lot of the dirty work to help others thrive.
Thibodeaux’s unfashionable, but necessary remit includes setting the edge and forcing runners back inside. He’s also putting his hand down as a de facto defensive tackle and taking on bigger guards in obvious passing situations to help create free rush lanes for others. Particularly for in-form Carter, as well as for premier rookie, roving inside linebacker Arvell Reese.
The hidden value in Thibodeaux’s game is summed up by an absence of gaudy statistics. He doesn’t have a sack and has registered just four pressures, three hurries and one quarterback knockdown this season, according to Pro Football Reference.
Most teams wouldn’t accept numbers as modest as those from a fifth-overall draft pick. Yet, Thibodeaux’s true value is being measured in other ways and quantified by his teammates.
That’s important, particularly when the Giants are hardly in a position to trade away a healthy edge defender.
Giants Have Bigger Trade Priorities Than Kayvon Thibodeaux
On the surface, there are compelling reasons to trade Thibdoeaux. Reasons like the lack of elite numbers and his status as a pending free agent, but the Giants have equal reason to keep No. 5 around.
Burns’ injury status is the obvious reason, but he’s not the only edge-rusher on the shelf. Fellow veteran Chauncey Golston is also on injured reserve with a neck problem.
Golston’s absence further underscores the value of Thibodeaux. Like the latter, former Dallas Cowboys’ edge Golston is versatile enough to kick inside and big enough to set a hard edge in the running game.
Speaking of the running game, the Giants are still allowing a hefty 4.8 yards per rush. The worrying stat explains why the team continues to consider eligible defensive tackles in the trade market.
Acquiring some beef for the heart of the trenches would make more sense than trading Thibodeaux. Especially when the Giants could land a “dominant” run-stopper to solve their problems on the ground.
Brian Burns Makes Strong Statement About Giants’ Trade Favorite