The New York Giants own the third overall pick in the NFL Draft, and they seem to be very interested in Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter.
Given that the Giants don’t have an obvious need for a pass rusher, their apparent fascination with Carter seems strange. Wouldn’t New York be better off addressing a much more glaring hole, such as the quarterback position? Or perhaps placing Travis Hunter next to Malik Nabers?
The Giants already have a fearsome front seven that includes Dexter Lawrence, Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux, and they just let Azeez Ojulari walk on a one-year, $4 million deal because they had no room for him. So where would they fit Carter?
Well, Matt Sidney of GMEN HQ feels that New York could ultimately be planning to draft Carter and then part ways with Thibodeaux.
“Drafting Carter does more than upgrade the pass rush—it potentially changes the conversation around Thibodeaux and his future with Big Blue altogether,” Sidney wrote. “Whether that’s motivation or foreshadowing, the Giants are clearly weighing their options. And if Carter is the guy, Thibodeaux might not be long for New York for much longer.”
Thibodeaux has two years of club control remaining on his contract and became eligible for an extension this offseason, but perhaps the Giants could nab Carter and then trade Thibodeaux elsewhere?
The 24-year-old missed five games this past season due to a wrist injury, registering 28 tackles and 5.5 sacks during his time on the field. The year prior, he racked up 50 tackles, 11.5 sacks and three forced fumbles.
New York originally selected Thibodeaux with the fifth overall pick of the 2022 NFL Draft, so it already used a valuable asset to land him, and when healthy, he has proven to be a force.
However, Carter is largely viewed as a generational talent, and the Giants may feel they would be better off landing him and rehoming Thibodeaux for another asset to help the roster elsewhere.