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EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY - NOVEMBER 02: Kayvon Thibodeaux #5 of the New York Giants takes the field against the San Francisco 49ers before the game at MetLife Stadium on November 02, 2025 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
The NFL season is still a couple of months away, but it’s still rapidly approaching, and with Training Camp dates starting to surface, NFL organizations will likely want to set their roster before the late-July camps get underway.
For the Atlanta Falcons, edge continues to be a position of concern with the legal matters of James Pearce Jr.
Pearce Jr. was at the mandatory minicamps this past month, but the NFL still may hand down a suspension at some point, and if that’s the case, the Falcons may need to consider a trade for a talented edge. The New York Giants may have a player available in former top draft pick Kayvon Thibodeaux. Things just haven’t seemed to work out between the Giants and Kayvon Thibodeaux, which has led to lots of speculation about his trade status.
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Recently, Bleacher Report NFL writer Kristopher Knox released the ‘latest 2026 NFL trade big board’ following minicamps, and Kayvon Thibodeaux is the top trade option, according to Knox, and Knox also names the Falcons as a potential suitor for the G-Men edge rusher:
“Kayvon Thibodeaux has seemed like a logical trade chip ever since the New York Giants used the fifth overall selection on Ohio State’s Arvell Reese. While Reese is perfectly capable of being a top-notch off-ball linebacker in the NFL, his ceiling may be found as an edge-rusher. With Brian Burns and Abdul Carter also in the fold, Thibodeaux could be the odd man out long-term—and he’s entering the final year of his rookie contract.”
Thibodeaux has had an up-and-down tenure with the New York Giants. He broke out in 2023 with 11.5 sacks, but in the two years since, Kayvon Thibodeaux has just eight sacks in 22 games. 2025, limited Thibodeaux to just 10 games, and he posted just 2.5 sacks with 25 total tackles and five tackles for loss.
If paired with Jalon Walker on the defensive line, the Falcons would have a much more formidable pass-rushing threat.
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GettyEAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY – NOVEMBER 02: Trent Williams #71 of the San Francisco 49ers in action against Kayvon Thibodeaux #5 of the New York Giants during their game at MetLife Stadium on November 02, 2025 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
Also, per Kristopher Knox’s latest big board rankings, Kayvon Thibodeaux could be traded for a 2027 2nd-round draft pick, which is a price that the Atlanta Falcons should absolutely consider.
Kayvon Thibodeaux was taken with the fifth overall pick in the 2022 NFL draft out of Oregon.
The legal speculation still needs to clear surrounding James Pearce Jr., but if the NFL does hand Pearce Jr. a suspension, Atlanta should consider making a trade for another edge rusher. Perhaps the Falcons don’t want to trade for Thibodeaux, but there are still other value players on the trade market that GM Ian Cunningham could consider.
TJ French covers the MLB for Heavy. TJ is a graduate of the University of Georgia. He has 2+ years of writing experience. Follow TJ French on X: @tj_french5 More about TJ French