Giants offer massive Kayvon Thibodeaux update after drafting Arvell Reese

On paper, New York Giants head coach John Harbaugh landed a replacement for pass-rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux when the Giants made Arvell Reese from Ohio State the fifth overall pick of the 2026 NFL Draft. 

Thibodeaux had been the subject of on-again, off-again trade rumors before the draft got underway. However, it sounds like the Giants won't be in a rush to sell him for pennies on the dollar this spring. 

Are Giants trading Kayvon Thibodeaux after drafting Arvell Reese?

Shortly after the Reese pick became official, ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter reported that "the Giants do not intend to trade" Thibodeaux. Harbaugh didn't use those exact words while speaking with reporters, but he also seemed eager to add Reese to a defense that could feature Thibodeaux, veteran Brian Burns and 2025 first-round draft pick Abdul Carter this fall. 

"We keep all the good players as much as we can," Harbaugh said when asked about Thibodeaux's future, per the Giants' website. "... We love Kayvon."

Thibodeaux is in a contract year, and there's no indication he will receive any type of extension from the Giants before the upcoming regular season gets underway. As for Reese, he was rated the No. 1 overall prospect in this year's draft class by analyst Dane Brugler of The Athletic. Clearly, Harbaugh felt he couldn't pass on grabbing Reese even though the Giants had obvious needs at other positions. 

How will Giants use Arvell Reese?

Giants and NFL insider Connor Hughes of SNY noted that "one team who was considering Reese planned to use him largely as a linebacker to begin his rookie season, transitioning him more and more as a rusher when the season went on." Hughes added that Reese "has Micah Parsons-like potential." 

The Giants would be just fine if Reese followed in the footsteps of the
Green Bay Packers star.

"That sounds like a great situation playing alongside those guys," Reese said about Thibodeaux, Burns and Carter, according to Jordan Raanan of ESPN.

Despite what was reported and said on Thursday night, some inevitably will continue to question if Thibodeaux and Reese will truly be teammates when Week 1 arrives in September.