Giants' Kayvon Thibodeaux Sends Clear Message Amid Contract Year

Kayvon Thibodeaux is in training camp, which means he is focused on playing ball and not on whether this will be his last season in a New York Giants uniform.

The Giants edge opened up about his focus for the upcoming season, which comes on his fifth-year option and explained how the first training camp is going under John Harbaugh.

Thibodeaux, the No. 5 overall pick of the 2022 NFL Draft, was the subject of trade rumors all offseason but is back in camp after the Giants did not get their preferred return in a trade.

Thibodeaux had just 2.5 sacks and 25 tackles in 10 games for the Giants last season.

Kayvon Thibodeaux Doesn't 'Think There Are More Layers of Motivation' Needed

A walk year usually means added motivation for players, but if Thibodeaux is to be believed, he doesn't need anything extra.

"I honestly don't think there are no more layers of motivation to be added," Thibodeaux said after practice Thursday. "When you play in this league, when motivation seeps out or when you have the most of it, you just got to kind of lean back on your discipline.

"It's all ball."

Thibodeaux is resigned to backup duty at this point, behind edges Abdul Carter and Brian Burns, the latter of whom finished second in the NFL in sacks last year (16.5). Carter is considered the Giants' most valuable player, and Thibodeaux has seen Carter make great strides.

"He's grown," Thibodeaux said of Carter. "[He's] just continuing to get better and continuing to kind of hone in on his craft."

But the Giants' first-year defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson has tested Thibodeaux out inside at points, creating a pass-rushing monster that will be awfully tough to stop.

"Play hard and play fast," Thibodeaux said about what his goals are when playing inside. "I just play hard, to be honest."

John Harbaugh: Kayvon Thibodeaux is 'All Ball'

Wilson isn't the only new coach in Giants training camp, and Thibodeaux has left a mark on his new head coach, John Harbaugh.

"I like him," Harbaugh said. "He's a smart and thoughtful guy. He's all ball. Determined, kind of no-nonsense, a good sense of humor. I was like 'good dude.'"

Thibodeaux is a backup right now, but he is the longest-tenured defensive player and could be a Giants defensive captain this year.

But whether or not he starts, or how many defensive snaps he gets, Thibodeaux is focused on helping the Giants come out of the abyss, defensively.

"You just wanna be the best player you can be," Thibodeaux said. "Keep finding ways to help the team and keep leading."