Thibodeaux has generated 2.5 sacks and 25 QB pressures this season, according to Next Generation Stats.
In theory, right now, Thibodeaux’s trade value would be at its peak, as any team could count on him in 2026 for a relatively low cost. If they plan to trade him next year, he would likely be a rental. With the Giants needing to build around Jaxson Dart, more draft picks wouldn’t hurt — they currently have seven picks in the 2026 draft without a third rounder.
Unfortunately, NFL teams simply don’t operate that way. With general manager Joe Schoen and Brian Daboll fighting for their jobs, they won’t break up the strength of an already questionable defense. The calculus of keeping a player like Thibodeaux is also that turnarounds happen quickly in the NFL — the 6-2 New England Patriots being the latest example in 2025.
If clubs were to release players who are not in their future plans like other sports, it would make the NFL trade deadline a lot more fun. Trades may have increased in recent years, but we get few blockbusters, as teams choose to hold on to their potential trade assets like Thibodeaux and hope their fortunes eventually turn around.