One Trade That Could Still Transform the Browns’ Offseason

The Cleveland Browns' current depth chart at defensive end, after sending Myles Garrett to the Rams as part of a blockbuster trade, lists newcomer Jared Verse -- part of said Garrett trade -- and Alex Wright as the starters. Don’t be surprised if the team is still looking to bolster this position, possibly through another trade.

Even before the Browns sent the league’s best edge rusher packing to Los Angeles, the team had shown interest in adding some talent at the position, when they agreed to a one-year 5 million deal with former Bills' second-round draft pick A.J. Epenesa, but that deal fell through during free agency.

Although the team did add a couple of interesting undrafted prospects after the draft in Logan Fano and Tyreak Sapp, the team hasn’t really added to the position as they thought they were doing when dealing with Epenesa.

This is why the team needs to look no further than the Big Apple for an agreement that could breathe new life into former first-rounder Kayvon Thibodeaux’s career, at a cost that might not exceed a mid-round pick.

Why Kayvon Thibodeaux makes perfect sense for the Browns

Deshaun Watson competing for a starting position against a second-year incumbent in Shedeur Sanders notwithstanding, the Browns are supposedly looking at a youth movement across the board.

Thibodeaux fits the bill perfectly, as a 25-year older with four years of experience and very little room to grow in his current situation with the Giants. Big Blue is slated to start Brian Burns and Abdul Carter as the outside linebackers in their 3-4 front, with Thibodeaux relegated to a diminishing role.

To make matters worse, the Giants added Arvell Reese at the top of the first round in last April’s draft, and although he might start his career as an off-ball linebacker at one of the two interior spots, many project him to end up on the outside rushing the passer, as well.

To make matters worse, Thibodeaux will be entering the final season of his rookie deal in 2026 and it’s unlikely the team will hang on to him once the season reaches its end, meaning he would become a free agent next spring and the team would be looking at a compensatory selection -- in the best case scenario, a late third-rounder -- in return.

This is why Thibodeaux should be on many team’s radars, including the Browns. The overstock at the position means the Giants don’t have great leverage -- they won’t get a first-rounder -- and a late second-rounder or early third-rounder should do the trick, depending on how many suitors line up.

Then, the acquiring team gets to negotiate his next deal, most likely an extension to bring his cap number down from the $14.7 million where it stands, and in turn get a young edge rusher with all the tools, still in his prime, with a chip on his shoulder.

In Cleveland’s case, pairing Thibodeaux with Verse sounds enticing.

And that’s not even mentioning the Browns are in prime position to pay Thibodeaux’s cost, as the team owns 11 total picks for the 2027 Draft, including two first-rounders and three fourth-rounders, plus an extra second-rounder in 2028 and an extra third-rounder in 2029.

In other words, this team has everything it needs to bring in young talent that may have fallen out of favor with other teams, at a discount price. This is exactly Thibodeaux’s case.

The Browns extended Wright’s deal back in November -- three years and $33 million -- but that shouldn’t preclude them from looking for a better option, especially considering Verse is still under contractual control for another three years under a very accessible rookie deal.

Adding a potential starter to the main rotation should definitely be a priority for the Browns over the summer, and no one looks like a better target than Thibodeaux.

If the Browns don’t pull the trigger, someone else will.

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