10
Loading video...
By Rowan Fisher-Shotton
0
Share
Newsweek is a Trust Project member
See more of our trusted coverage when you search.Prefer Newsweek on Googleto see more of our trusted coverage when you search.
The New York Giants' defensive front looks genuinely scary heading into 2026.
Kayvon Thibodeaux went fifth overall in 2022. Abdul Carter went third overall in 2025. And Arvell Reese just went fifth overall in this year's draft. In between all of that, the Giants also traded for three-time Pro Bowler Brian Burns. That's four elite pass rushers on one defense.
But one of them is increasingly starting to look like the odd man out: Thibodeaux.
Read More on NFL
Thibodeaux's 2025 season was cut short by a shoulder injury that landed him on injured reserve in mid-December. But even before that, he was struggling. He finished with just 25 total tackles, nine quarterback hits, five tackles for loss, and 2.5 sacks in 10 games — all career lows.
Burns, meanwhile, set a career high with 16.5 sacks and earned second-team All-Pro honors, and Carter set a Giants rookie record with 23 QB hits, the most of any rookie in the NFL in 2025, along with 43 combined tackles, seven tackles for loss, two forced fumbles, and four sacks.
Add Reese to the mix — Ohio State's All-American linebacker, who recorded 69 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, and 6.5 sacks in 14 games last year — and it's hard to feel confident about 2026 looking much better for Thibodeaux.
When he got drafted in 2022, many believed he'd be a cornerstone of the Giants' defense for the next decade. Now, some are speculating that 2026 might be his last year in New York.
More news: Dallas Cowboys Player Facing the Most Pressure in 2026
...
More news: Green Bay Packers Player Facing the Most Pressure in 2026
The Giants picked up Thibodeaux's fifth-year option last year, locking in a fully guaranteed $14.75 million salary for this season. General manager Joe Schoen said after the 2026 NFL Draft, "you can't have enough pass rushers," but that's a lot of money for somebody who may not even start this season, and no extension talks have taken place.
Thibodeaux is now playing out what will essentially be a one-year audition. It's starting to look like his time in New York could be over after this season — which means he'll want to play well enough to lock in a respectable deal somewhere else.
He's a former top-five pick for a reason. He's 6-foot-5, over 250 pounds, and he racked up 11.5 sacks in his second year with the Giants in 2023, along with 50 tackles, 16 QB hits, 12 tackles for loss, and three forced fumbles. He's already flashed the kind of explosiveness off the edge that every franchise needs. But he's also played just one full season in his four-year NFL career.
Between the injuries, the crowded room, and the front office's clear investment in other players at the same position, 2026 might be his last real chance to prove he still belongs in New York.
More news: New Orleans Saints Player Facing the Most Pressure in 2026
View 0 Comments
Submit Correction
View Editorial & AI Guidelines