APRIL 25: Carter indeed became the Giants’ pick at No. 3, but Schoen confirmed (via The Exhibit’s Josina Anderson) the Giants will exercise Thibodeaux’s 2026 option. The Giants will now have their formidable three-EDGE group signed beyond 2025. Burns’ deal runs through 2028, while Carter’s rookie-scale contract — which will include a fifth-year option — can go through 2029.

APRIL 24: While their attention remains focused on the opening round of tonight’s draft, the Giants will soon have a decision to make with respect to Kayvon Thibodeaux‘s short-term future. May 1 looms as the deadline to exercise or decline his fifth-year option.

In February, it was reported New York could be expected to pick up the option for 2026. Doing so would put Thibodeaux in line to collect $14.75MM that season, a figure well short of the top of the current edge rush market. The former fifth overall pick has battled inconsistency during his first three years in the league, however, something which has made the looming option decision a talking point.

On that note, Paul Schwartz of the New York Post reports the Giants are still “likely” to exercise Thibodeaux’s option. The 24-year-old has plenty of time to develop further, and a repeat of his 11.5-sack 2023 campaign would certainly make a short-term investment worthwhile. With 2024 trade acquisition Brian Burns already attached to a lucrative deal, though, moving on from Thibodeaux and replacing him with a rookie like Abdul Carter tonight has been mentioned as a possible maneuver for general manager Joe Schoen and Co.

As Schwartz writes, however, the Giants’ plans on the Thibodeaux front are unlikely to change even if Carter (seen by many as the favorite for the No. 3 pick) is selected. The Penn State product has experience as an inside linebacker, something which could help New York find ways to keep him along with Thibodeaux and Burns on the field together. Especially if the Giants elect to keep Thibodeaux in the fold for at least the next two years, the matter of a long-term arrangement will become something to watch.

The Oregon product has expressed a desire to remain in the Big Apple, although he does not expect negotiations on a multi-year accord to take place this offseason. Thibodeaux’s production in terms of sacks and pressures took a notable step back in 2024 compared to the previous campaign. That can partially be attributed to the fact he was limited to 12 games last year, but questions remain about the potential for a long-term stretch of production matching the talent he showed in college.

The Giants currently sit mid-pack in the NFL in projected 2026 cap space, and absorbing a spike in pay with respect to Thibodeaux that year would not be a challenge. By this time next week, it will be known if he will remain in place beyond the coming campaign.

The Giants have managed to keep their pass rush in high gear without Kayvon Thibodeaux; it does not appear they will need to work without him much longer.

Thibodeaux is returning to practice Wednesday, starting his 21-day activation clock. Brian Daboll expressed optimism (via ESPN.com’s Jordan Raanan) Thibodeaux will be ready to go for Sunday’s Giants-Buccaneers game.

A starter since debuting in 2022, Thibodeaux has been down with a wrist injury since Week 5. He underwent surgery to repair the issue, and the Giants gave the Oregon alum the bye week to finish off his recovery. While Thibodeaux will return to a team in transition — thanks to the Daniel Jones benching — he is coming back to a pass rush that has kept going despite other issues holding the roster back.

New York did not trade Azeez Ojulari at the deadline, retaining the Thibodeaux fill-in even though it looks likely he will depart as a free agent in March. Ojulari has played well in his contract year, replacing Thibodeaux opposite Brian Burns. Ojulari has six sacks this season, matching Burns’ total. Dexter Lawrence still leads the way with nine. Only the Broncos (39 sacks) rank higher than the Giants (36) in this area.

Thibodeaux finished last season with team-high 11.5 sacks. He registered 2.5 in five games to start this season but is on pace for more QB hits compared to last season. After notching only 16 in 2023, Thibodeaux tallied seven before going on IR. The Giants are committed to Burns and Thibodeaux long term; both are Joe Schoen-era acquisitions, whereas Dave Gettleman drafted Ojulari in 2021.

Tommy DeVito making an appearance before Thanksgiving certainly illustrates another off-track season for the Giants, but they still have some promising pieces elsewhere on the roster. Thibodeaux is one of them, and a strong homestretch stands to help the edge rusher on the extension front. Schoen’s first draft pick having a productive final third this season would help the GM, who is in a battle to keep his job.

Thibodeaux will become extension-eligible in January, but the Giants may take advantage of having him on a rookie deal due to the big-ticket extension they gave Burns (five years, $141MM) upon trading for him. Big Blue can keep Thibodeaux on his rookie pact through 2026, via the fifth-year option that will probably be exercised — by either Schoen or his successor — by May.

TODAY, 11:50am: Kayvon Thibodeaux will indeed land on injured reserve, according to Dan Duggan of The Athletic. The pass rusher will now be sidelined until at least Week 10, although the organization could give him an extra few weeks of rest considering their Week 11 bye.

WEDNESDAY, 11:45am: A pillar in what has been a promising Giants pass rush, Kayvon Thibodeaux will see his third NFL season paused. The former top-10 pick is set for surgery.

Thibodeaux sustained a wrist injury, with NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport indicating the Oregon alum is undergoing the procedure to repair a fractured scaphoid bone. While an IR placement is not certain, Brian Daboll (several times) called Thibodeaux week-to-week.

While Daboll refused to confirm a timeline, The Athletic’s Dan Duggan notes a four- to six-week absence is expected. This would make an IR move likely. The procedure included a screw insertion into Thibodeaux’s repaired wrist, and while he could beat that timetable, the Giants can save a roster spot by giving him four weeks to recover. Placing Thibodeaux on IR now would sideline him until Week 10; the Giants have a Week 11 bye.

Breaking through with 11.5 sacks last season, Thibodeaux now teams with Brian Burns at OLB — on a front seven still anchored by All-Pro Dexter Lawrence. Thibodeaux and Burns have operated as high-end Lawrence wingmen thus far, with the dominant DT ripping off six sacks in five games. Thibodeax and Burns each have two apiece, though Thibodeax’s seven QB hits outpace Burns’ four. Both OLBs have contributed to sack binges that have helped the Giants recover from an 0-2 start.

The Giants sacked Deshaun Watson eight times in a Week 3 win and dropped Geno Smith seven times in their Week 5 upset in Seattle. Thibodeaux notched a half-sack in each game while taking down Dak Prescott in Week 4. The Giants based much of their defensive plan around the Burns-Thibodeaux combination, passing on a notable cornerback investment as they doubled down on their pass rush. Thibodeaux missing time will apply more pressure on New York’s secondary.

Thibodeaux missed three games as a rookie but played in all 17 Giants contests last season. A preseason MCL sprain delayed Thibodeaux’s start to his career, but he has played every game since his Week 4 rookie-year debut. The Giants have supplanted starter Azeez Ojulari in place as a fill-in option.

A 2021 second-round pick, Ojulari has 25 starts on his NFL resume. He totaled eight sacks as a rookie and notched 5.5 in seven games in 2022. Ojulari struggled last season, providing an extra push for the Giants to trade for Burns. But the contract-year rusher, who has recorded one sack thus far this season (while playing 37% of New York’s defensive snaps, provides a solid option as a backup while Thibodeaux rehabs.