The Green Bay Packers’ pass rush is among the biggest needs across the roster.
Given that Lukas Van Ness has yet to live up to his billing as a top-15 selection, and the Packers have few proven options opposite Rashan Gary and his 39 career sacks, adding an edge rusher could be a top priority for general manager Brian Gutekunst and Green Bay before Week 1 of the season kicks off.
Kayvon Thibodeaux a Perfect Packers Trade Target
Fortunately for the Packers, the New York Giants have created a bit of a logjam of edge rushers, after selecting explosive and disruptive pass rusher Abdul Carter with the No. 3 overall pick in this spring’s NFL Draft.
Carter’s arrival, combined with Brian Burns’ contract and dominant presence, could make former first-round draft choice Kayvon Thibodeaux expendable in New York.
According to ESPN’s Seth Walder, the Packers trading a second-round pick in the 2026 draft for Thibodeaux would be a win-win situation for both teams.
“The Packers are natural trade partners here,” Walder writes of the Giants moving Thibodeaux. “This is a team in contention now, but with a major need at edge. Green Bay’s current grouping of Rashan Gary, Lukas Van Ness, Kingsley Enagbare and fourth-round pick Barryn Sorrell probably isn’t cutting it — the team ranked 26th in pass rush win rate last season. Thibodeaux would certainly help the cause.
“Who, exactly, Green Bay would be getting remains a question. Thibodeaux hasn’t quite lived up to his predraft hype. He has 21.0 sacks in three seasons with the Giants, along with a 16% pass rush win rate at edge that’s essentially average for a starter at the position. But given his draft pedigree and young age (24), he absolutely still offers star-level upside. Plus, he’s been on a bad team the past two years — it’s undoubtedly harder for pass rushers to generate big numbers when trailing.”
Thibodeaux would add not just first-round pedigree but 21 career sacks and a skill-set that could make him a natural fit for coordinator Jeff Hafley’s scheme.
While Thibodeaux has gotten off to an inconsistent start to his career, his potential remains and he could be the kind of player who benefits not just from a change of scenery but a situation where he would be the edge rusher at the top of a defense’s depth chart.
If the Packers’ young edge rushers don’t show major progress during training camp and the preseason this summer, Gutekunst might get aggressive to add a starting caliber player in the weeks ahead.
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