Giants Reportedly Receiving Trade Inquiries for Key Defensive Star 

However, NFL Network reporter Mike Garafolo, while also reporting that there were a few teams interested in obtaining the 24-year-old Thibodeaux, added that the Giants informed interested parties that they have no interest in trading their pass rusher.

Thibobeaux, despite his lack of numbers, is currently playing some of the best ball in his career. He currently has 21 total tackles, seven shy of the 28 he had in an injury-interrupted season last year, 2.5 quarterback sacks, and nine quarterback hits. 

But where he’s been particularly strong this year is against the run. 

Per TruMedia (via the Locked On Giants Podcast), Thibodeaux has 16 tackles against designed rushing plays, 12 of which are solo, and five tackles for loss on running plays. 

The 16 tackles, 12 solo efforts, and five tackles for loss are well above the league average among individual players of 9.7, 10.6, and five, respectively.

Why It Might Make Sense to Move Thibodeaux Now 

With the Giants standing at 2-6, they’ve dug themselves a deep hole, which, barring a miraculous 9-game run, is going to be very difficult to emerge from. 

Having Carter on board, the Giants wouldn’t exactly be left in dire straits at pass rushing if they were to move on from Thiibodeaux, who is believed to be in search of a monster-like payday when his contract is up.

Unlike earlier in the year, when the Giants' season had a pulse, moving on from the former Oregon star could make more sense right now for a couple of reasons. 

First, the Giants do not have any comp picks coming next year. They also do not have a third-round pick, having traded it for quarterback Jaxson Dart. 

With the team likely to need help at cornerback, receiver, and linebacker in next year’s draft, having extra premium draft picks wouldn’t hurt should the Giants wish to move around the draft board next year.

Second, by engineering a trade, the Giants can not only control where Thibodeaux goes, they can also get the draft picks to use right away versus if they were to wait for Thibodeaux to play out his option year and then let him walk in free agency in return for a comp pick that couldn’t be used until the following year’s draft–that is if they even were to get a comp pick.