Buccaneers Should Target Former First-Round Pick in Trade

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will be one of the top teams looking for potential trades with veteran pass rushers on the mind.

That's part of the reason why Bleacher Report writer Alex Ballentine hypothesized the idea of the Buccaneers making a trade with the New York Giants for former top-five pick Kayvon Thibodeaux.

"It feels like the Bucs have needed pass-rush help every offseason for years. Adding Bryce Huff to their collection of edge-rushers didn't solve the problem last season, but making a move for a young dynamic talent like Kayvon Thibodeaux could change things," Ballentine wrote. "Thibodeaux's time with New York has been up and down. A shoulder injury limited him to just 10 games, and he appears to be behind Brian Burns and Abdul Carter on the depth chart.

"Still, Thibodeaux is a former No. 5 overall selection and he posted 11.5 sacks in 2023. Todd Bowles is the kind of defensive mind who should be able to scheme Thibodeaux one-on-one looks and get his career back on track.

"It would be fun to see the former Oregon star in a blitz-heavy system that's going to let him do what he does best. The Giants could be willing to take a third-rounder to get out of the club-option year on his contract, set to cost them $14.8 million."

Kayvon Thibodeaux to Bucs?

New York Giants linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux looks on during warmups before the game against the Philadelphia Eagles. | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Thibodeaux is entering the fifth and final year of his rookie deal, and there is reason to believe the Giants won't be asking it back. They opted into his fifth year after the 2024 season, but he regressed significantly in 2025, recording just 2.5 sacks in ten games for the Giants, both of which were career lows.

New York also drafted a potential replacement for Thibodeaux in Abdul Carter with the number three overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft out of Penn State. It would be hard for the Giants to justify paying Thibodeaux with Carter also in the mix with him at the pass rusher spot.

That's why the Giants should look at all options when it comes to Thibodeau, and the Bucks could present a solution. They need a player like Thibodeau to take a chance on, and he would be well worth the risk for Tampa.

If it doesn't work out, he'll be gone in a year. If he does, the Bucs can negotiate some kind of extension, and he can become a premier pass rusher with the team.

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