What to do with Kayvon Thibodeaux ? AND Azeez Ojulari

[brownelvis54]

At this point of his career, the reason to sign Kayvon Thibodeaux to s contract extension is based on his potential.

Key word being potential. In college he was at one point looked at as a clear-cut number one pick. He's always had the tools, but he's never been able to put them together all the time. I truly worry he doesn't put in enough work in the offseason to gain the consistency he needs to be a great player. He may be one of those guys that stays in the good not great and somewhat underwhelming career path. He's at the point where he can beat bad players consistently because he's just more talented, but the above average players just lock him down because he's not an elite athlete. He's a very good athlete but not parsons or Garrett. And when you're not an elite athlete you need to have a deep bag and strong plan, or you will never be more than pretty good. It seems he just doesn't have that size and strength like those top 270 pound or so edges like Garrett or Bosa and his get off is his best tool but being filled out at about 255 it's not the level where he is elite at a position where athleticism is such a big piece.


Should the Giants pick up his 5th year?  Should the Giants try to extend his contract further? Should the Giants trade him?


We speak of QB, QB, QB....but there are other core problems. It seems Azeez Ojulari will most likely be gone, that leaves us with Dex and Burns. Where does Thibodeaux fit in long term? Should the Giants select Adul Carter? 

Can you imagine next year Burns, Carter, Thibs, and Dex? That could be something. Perhaps that signing will "turn on the lights" for Thibs? Adding Carter would stress opposing teams O-lines and would probably increase the times one of the four could harass the QB.

Crazy as it sounds, but should the Giants sign Azeez Ojulari and try to trade Thibs?


Thibodeaux by the numbers:





https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/stats/_/id/4426326/kayvon-thibodeaux

[Gmo11]

Thibs played pretty well this season.  Despite being much maligned.  I think he sticks around for a while.

[brownelvis54]

Here is his current contract and cost. He is very young, but stats dont lie.


www.spotrac.com/nfl/player/_/id/76852/kayvon-thibodeaux

[MightyGiants]

A 5th year option for KT will cost the Giants $16 million (not bad for a pass rusher)



This is unrelated but since I am at Over The Cap looking at costs, the 5th year option for Neal would be $17.4 million

for those who wonder how Neal (picked later costs more)

base salary calculated from the average of the 3rd to 25th highest salaries at their position over the past five seasons.

KT even got a playing time boost in the cost of his 5th year option


https://overthecap.com/fifth-year-option-projections

[brownelvis54]

Thibs played pretty well this season.  Despite being much maligned.  I think he sticks around for a while.

Did you look at the stats I posted? His stats went down in almost every category.

2022 4 sacks, 49 total tackles, 33 were solo, 16 were assist

2023 11.5 sacks, 50 total tackles, 26 were solo, 24 assist

2024 5.5 sacks, 28 total tackles, 14 were solo, 14 were assist

[jgrangers2]

A 5th year option for KT will cost the Giants $16 million (not bad for a pass rusher)



This is unrelated but since I am at Over The Cap looking at costs, the 5th year option for Neal would be $17.4 million

for those who wonder how Neal (picked later costs more)

base salary calculated from the average of the 3rd to 25th highest salaries at their position over the past five seasons.

KT even got a playing time boost in the cost of his 5th year option


https://overthecap.com/fifth-year-option-projections

Neal has to be a pretty easy decline on the 5th year option at this point where I think KT is a very easy execution of the 5th year option. If, and it's a big if, they do finally workout Neal at Guard and it works, I think he can be a guy who re-signs at a cheaper price than the option.

[Bob In PA]

No way the Giants should do anything but re-sign him, IMO.

He is the type of "solidly-above-average" player all Super Bowl contenders have in abundance. And now IMO is a great time for his contract to come up, because as others have said he still has potential to register at least one or two great years.

Just never forget... the guy is FAR BETTER at playing the run than the majority of people (me included) believed he would be. The fact that the sacks haven't come in significant numbers [yet, IMO] just makes it more likely they'll be able to re-sign him for a fair but reasonable price.

Bob

[uconnjack8]

Use KT's 5th yer option.  His overall play makes him worth it

Ojulari (when I see his name in my he'd I hear it pronounced to "Volare") I would either:

1) Offer a vet minimum 1 year deal or
2) A one or two year deal with incentives based on games played.

[MrGap92]

He has 20 sacks in 3 years and would have more if he was not injured. He is also solid against the run.

He may not have fully lived up to his draft status at #5 just yet if ever, but he is still a quality NFL player and if they don't pay him, another team will.

[brownelvis54]

He has 20 sacks in 3 years and would have more if he was not injured. He is also solid against the run.

He may not have fully lived up to his draft status at #5 just yet if ever, but he is still a quality NFL player and if they don't pay him, another team will.

Would you be open to a trade?

[Bob In PA]

Use KT's 5th yer option.  His overall play makes him worth it

Ojulari (when I see his name in my he'd I hear it pronounced to "Volare") I would either:

1) Offer a vet minimum 1 year deal or
2) A one or two year deal with incentives based on games played.

uconn: I can agree with taking the option rather than re-doing his contract now, but only if they first attempt (and fail) to reach an extension agreement. I say this primarily because it's what I have observed the Eagles doing for the past ten or so years, and IMO it really helped them build their team. Also, and you may disagree with this, if you wait until next year and he has a strong 2025, you really jack up the cost of re-signing him, and now you've got competition and the threat he'll just walk (or try to get on a better, contending, team). Bob

[Stringer Bell]

There was a discussion in another thread about whether pass rush or secondary was more important.

I feel it's pass rush. We've seen it often that if a QB has all day to throw and survey the field, even the best coverage can't hold up for more than 5 seconds.

And even if coverage isn't great, if a QB is being rushed and pressured, an incompletion or sack is just as likely - or even more likely - than a completion.

This sentiment is at odds with my advocating for drafting Johnson over Carter, but that's been based on my assumption that KT is re-signed.

I think the 5th year is a given - if they don't extend him before then. While he certainly hasn't lived up to the hype or his draft position, his 2023 performance was strong, he's still only 24, and has room to grow.

I think Ojulari walks, as he's the textbook example of someone who is more valuable as a free agent than he is in reality or to his incumbent team.

If they don't take Carter, they should be looking at someone like Jack Sawyer, Jordan Burch or Dani Dennis-Sutton in the 3rd.

[MrGap92]

Would you be open to a trade?

Depends on the return, what the plan is for replacing him, but everyone has a price.

At some point we do need to start retaining players though

[brownelvis54]

Depends on the return, what the plan is for replacing him, but everyone has a price.

At some point we do need to start retaining players though

Did someone say Abul Carter? But that would mean no QB with our first

[killarich]

He has 20 sacks in 3 years and would have more if he was not injured. He is also solid against the run.

He may not have fully lived up to his draft status at #5 just yet if ever, but he is still a quality NFL player and if they don't pay him, another team will.

This

Is he living up to be the #5 pick ? Umm year 1 and 3 no... but he's been injured... last season he was good

At this point though he would still be a mid to high first round draft pick if we know what we know now.... and pass rushers are one of the hardest positions to fill after QB.... He is still a building block on many teams

If we can get someone legit to play next to Sexy Dexy , not only will Dex benefit but so will Burns and Thibs

The Thibs hate is not warranted honestly ... can we be slightly disappointed YES... but he is not a bad player 

People are forgetting who we had out there at LB prior to him

Markus Golden was our best Pass Rusher after JPP left