A young edge rusher is on the market, but should the Saints do it?
Earlier in the 2026 offseason, it was revealed that the New York Giants were set to make former top-10 overall pick Kayvon Thibodeaux available in trade talks. After a bit of a disappointing season from the pass rusher, and the team having Brian Burns and selecting Abdul Carter 2nd overall last year, moving on from Thibodeaux made sense. Adding that to a regime change (John Harbaugh now being HC), the writing was on the wall for the defensive lineman, but it still has not happened.
Many teams around the NFL may be waiting to get this deal done when the draft has already started. Thibodeaux is a high-potential player who has fallen out of favor on the Giants roster. He is still 25 years old and will be playing on his 5th-year option, which is much cheaper than many EDGE options around the league. The reason for waiting is not because of the interest or Thibodeaux himself; it's all about what happens in the early rounds of the draft, especially for the New Orleans Saints.
The 2026 NFL Draft has a really good EDGE class, which means teams can find value starters throughout, and Thibodeaux's value drops. Focusing on the Saints, at pick 8, Rueben Bain Jr. is arguably the top choice if available at that selection, and he fits the Saints' need of an EDGE. But if he is not available, pivoting to another position of need is extremely likely, which would mean the Saints would need to address EDGE somewhere else.
If things do not go the Saints' way in round 2, then waiting for the third round pick to get an edge rusher would have to be the next step. This is where the Thibodeaux conversation starts. The rumor about his value is that the Giants would get a deal done for a Day 3 pick. If that is the case, and the Saints strike out on EDGE with their first two selections, then Thibodeaux should be a target for the team.
A potential trade for Thibodeaux must be considered even if the Saints get a pass rusher in the third round. With how much of an issue depth was last season, Chase Young's injury history, and a lack of a starter on the left side of the defensive line, getting at least two new EDGEs this offseason should be a priority. Really, no matter what, Thibodeaux should be considered as an option, but the likelihood rises the more the Saints strike out trying to find an edge rusher.