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New York Giants linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux (5) against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

Why Edge Rusher is the Giants' Sneakiest Draft Need

Originally posted on New York Giants on SI
By Stephen Lebitsch | Last updated Apr 11, 2026 12:00 PM ET

As the New York Giants inch closer towards ushering in their first class of rookies under the John Harbaugh era in the 2026 NFL Draft, the team's big board feels all but determined in terms of what positions they will key on in the opening rounds.

On the defensive end, the Giants' list figures to include some extra beef along the trenches to help with stopping the run at a higher rate than they did last season. They also could use a little more depth in the secondary, which was marred by injuries and inexperience.

The last area anyone should be thinking about is the edge, where the Giants have invested serious salary cap and draft capital to make it one of the franchise's main strengths, and that played out in them owning the fifth-highest pass-rush win rate in 2025.

Except in the mind of Bleacher Report analyst Alex Ballentine, who designated his surprise needs for every NFL team in the upcoming draft and went right in that direction for Big Blue, choosing the addition of an edge rusher as their one sneaky move to consider somewhere in Days 1 or 2.

"The Giants using one of their first three picks on an edge-rusher would be shocking at first, but there are a few reasons why it could actually make sense," Ballentine wrote.

"For one, you can never have too many players who can get after the quarterback. Overwhelming the opposing offense with pressure is one of the easiest ways to be a dominant defense, and bringing in another player on a roster that already has Brian Burns, Abdul Carter, and Kayvon Thibodeaux would certainly qualify.

Still, Ballentine furthered his argument by pointing towards one in-house player--the aforementioned Thibodeaux--and suggesting his immediate future could also force the edge position into their draft plans.

"He's set to become a free agent this season and will likely price himself out of New York.

As good as Burns and Carter are, Thibodeaux still played 72 percent of the defensive snaps. Drafting any of these three pass-rushing specialists would give the Giants a dynamic third rusher and facilitate a Thibodeaux trade elsewhere."

Can the Giants Afford to Spend a Premium Draft Pick on an Edge Rusher?

Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

The Giants made it a point to select Abdul Carter with the No. 3 pick in last year's draft because he was the best player available, and he would help further their goal of being one of the league's most relentless pass-rushing defenses in both quality and quantity.

As was noted, the decision was largely a success for the Giants, whose unit generated 39 total sacks in 2025 despite Carter's off-field rookie bumps and the team missing Kayvon Thibodeaux for seven games due to a nagging shoulder injury.

On the heels of Thibodeaux's disappointing campaign, where he logged just 25 total tackles, 2.5 sacks, and 32 pressures, the Giants are at a crossroads with his impending contract situation after buying into his rookie fifth-year option for the 2026 season.

While John Harbaugh has expressed excitement in working to reinvent Thibodeaux's pass-rushing prowess that flashed at its highest level in 2023 when he notched a career-high 11.5 sacks in a fully healthy year, there is a huge risk that could come into play if the partnership works and Thibodeaux has a strong bounce-back season to boost his value.

The Giants would love to have the aforementioned quantity of elite pass rushers in their arsenal for years to come, but they already have Brian Burns in the building as the lead sack artist on the franchise's most expensive annual cap hit. Dexter Lawrence's situation is also worth monitoring to see whether New York acquiesces to his demand for a reworked contract to avoid a trade.

The Giants' salary cap gets a lot healthier beginning in 2027, but if Thibodeaux isn't somehow in the Harbaugh regime's long-term plan, it would be better to trade him for a few premium picks now before they chance losing him for nothing on an open market they don't envision engaging in.

If that happens, selecting a younger replacement via the draft could make sense. Abdul Carter would likely ascend into a larger role on the opposite side as Brian Burns, but the Giants would then need some extra depth to keep their arsenal fully loaded for the season.

Based on Harbaugh's comments, anybody in the building is expendable. That said, the Giants need to see how things play out with the Thibodeaux angle throughout the draft and address their larger priorities, unless a suitor comes calling early with an irrefutable offer.

To follow in line with B/R's angle is a surprise need; we would go with the running back room on the offensive side, given Harbaugh seems to have an interest in running a power rushing attack, and there is some uncertainty with Cam Skattebo's immediate health and Devin Singletary, who is on borrowed time on the depth chart.

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