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Jared Verse could benefit from a Los Angeles Rams trade for Kayvon Thibodeaux.

The Los Angeles Rams already boast one of the NFL’s best rosters, and they could give themselves an additional edge–quite literally–with a trade for Kayvon Thibodeaux.

Of course, targeting a player and getting a deal done are vastly different exercises. But the Rams are uniquely positioned to make offers others might be unwilling to make. That means the door is almost always open for a splashy deal to help out.

Still, their biggest hurdle likely remains Thibodeaux’s current team, the New York Giants.

Rams Floated as Trade Destination for Giants’ Kayvon Thibodeaux

ESPN’s Seth Walder picked the Rams for Thibodeaux in an effort by the site to find new homes for multiple speculative trade candidates.

Here is how Walder’s offer broke down, with the Rams getting Thibodeaux and draft capital:

Rams get:

• Kayvon Thibodeaux
• 2028 sixth-round pick

Giants get:

• 2028 third-round pick

“This is a rich-get-richer scenario for the Rams, who already have Jared Verse and Byron Young at edge. Both Verse and Young were among the top-35 players in sacks last season (12 and 7.5, respectively),” Walder wrote on May 27. “Thibodeaux, who fits with the pair in the sense that he also is a strong run defender, can rotate in with that group. And if he lives up to the upside of his draft status, then Los Angeles would become even more dangerous.”

The Giants selected Thibodeaux fifth overall in the 2022 draft. He has 152 total tackles, 6 forced fumbles, 3 recoveries, and 1 return for a touchdown in his career. He notched 11.5 sacks during his second season, but has 5.5 sacks or fewer in his three other campaigns.

Rams Get Reality Check on Kayvon Thibodeaux Deal

Unfortunately for the Rams, Walder’s idea was shot down by ESPN’s Jordan Raanan, who noted that the Giants’ asking price is greater than what the hypothetical scenario sending Thibodeaux to the Rams would give New York.

He even rejected colleague Jeremy Fowler’s mock offer of a 2027 third-rounder from the New Orleans Saints after admitting it “would definitely be contemplated.”

The decision is far more nuanced than receiving draft capital for the Giants.

“Given that the Giants were originally looking for better than a third-round pick for Thibodeaux, they pass on a third-round pick next year,” Raanan wrote. “The Giants could always reconsider their stance on Thibodeaux at the trade deadline depending on the state of the team. But if he has a strong season, they could franchise-tag and trade him next year.”

Raanan believes the Giants would need to receive an offer that “absolutely blows them away” for Thibodeaux, even with Abdul Carter and Brian Burns in front of him. The Rams traded their third-round pick to the Kansas City Chiefs in the Trent McDuffie deal.

They could need to up the ante to a second-rounder in 2027, which the Rams are in a position to do, but also have several reasons to hold off on.

Rams Have Some Internal Matters to Address

The Rams have several critical decisions to make with their current roster, and that is without factoring in Thibodeaux. He is playing on his fifth-year option in 2026 and will need a new contract following the season.

Verse will be extension-eligible next offseason. But Young and fellow 2023 draftee Kobie Turner are both in the final year of their respective contracts.

The Rams must plan for Braden Fiske, too, who will be eligible in 2027, along with Verse.

The Athletic’s Nate Atikins noted in an article on May 26 that the Rams are expected to extend Verse when possible, expressing his belief that Turner is the most likely pending free agent to receive a new contract.