The NFL regular season is just a month away, and while teams are busy fine-tuning their rosters, one ESPN analyst thinks a surprising blockbuster could be brewing between the reigning AFC champions and a team that's been stuck in the NFC basement. In a recent feature, Seth Walder floated five potential training camp trades, and the most intriguing one involves the New York Giants sending former top-five pick Kayvon Thibodeaux to the New England Patriots.
Walder's reasoning? Thibodeaux has slipped down the Giants' depth chart, and the Patriots are desperate for a difference-maker off the edge. "Thibodeaux is playing on his $14.75 million fifth-year option and is set to be a free agent at the end of this season," Walder wrote. "While there was an argument for having him as a third edge rusher behind Brian Burns and Abdul Carter in the past, New York now also has first-round pick Arvell Reese, who plays linebacker and edge. To keep Thibodeaux around at this price to potentially be the team's No. 4 edge rusher isn't ideal."
The proposed deal would send Thibodeaux and a 2027 fifth-round pick to New England in exchange for a 2027 third-rounder. It's not exactly a win-win, but it's certainly an interesting idea. For the Patriots, Thibodeaux offers long-term upside if they decide to re-sign him. Their current edge rushers—Harold Landry III and Dre'Mont Jones—are both on the wrong side of 29 and better suited as complementary pieces on a contender. Thibodeaux hasn't yet proven he can be an undisputed top pass rusher, but he has the raw talent to develop into one.
Giants fans might feel shortchanged by the return, but Walder argues the contract dictates the value. "Giants fans will likely feel like the team should get more in this deal," he said. "But it's all about the contract, as Thibodeaux has only one year left on his deal and is getting paid pretty close to what he would probably make on the open market."
Thibodeaux's stock has fallen significantly since his promising start. Coming out of Oregon in 2022, he looked like a future star, racking up 15.5 sacks, 18 tackles for loss, and 19 quarterback hits in his first two seasons. But 2024 was a step back, and 2025 was even worse—a shoulder injury limited him to just 10 games, and he finished with a career-low 2.5 sacks.
With his fifth-year option already exercised and free agency looming, the Giants face a tough decision. If they don't plan to keep him long-term, trading him before the season might be their best chance to get something in return rather than losing him for nothing. This proposed deal could be exactly the kind of move that shakes up both rosters ahead of Week 1.
For more on the latest trade buzz, check out our coverage of the trade deadline heat around the league and the Cowboys' hints at a big move. And if you're into basketball, there's also the WNBA trade deadline drama to follow.
