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5

Kayvon Thibodeaux

Linebacker · 5th season
Updated
Height
6-5
Weight
258
Age
25
College
Oregon
Drafted
2022 · R1 P5
Exp
5

Overview

Kayvon Thibodeaux is an outside linebacker in his fifth season with the Giants, who drafted him fifth overall out of Oregon in 2022.

His best season came in 2023, when he led the Giants with 11.5 sacks, the first Giant with double-digit sacks since Leonard Williams in 2020. As a rookie, he was named NFC Defensive Player of the Week for Week 15 after a career-high 12 tackles and a strip-sack that was returned for a touchdown.

Injuries have limited him since. He played 12 games in 2024 and 10 in 2025, and the Giants placed him on injured reserve with a shoulder injury Dec. 20, 2025.

The Giants exercised his fifth-year option before the 2025 season, so he is playing 2026 on a fully guaranteed $14.751 million salary. He started the Sept. 27 win over Tennessee in place of Brian Burns, who was playing through an ankle sprain and tore his ACL in that game. Coach John Harbaugh said Thibodeaux and Abdul Carter will have to carry more of the pass rush.

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Frequently asked

Where was Kayvon Thibodeaux drafted?
The Giants drafted Thibodeaux out of Oregon with the fifth overall pick in the 2022 NFL draft.
How many career sacks does Kayvon Thibodeaux have?
Thibodeaux had 23.5 sacks in 53 games over his first four seasons, 2022-25. His career high is 11.5 in 2023.
What is Kayvon Thibodeaux's contract with the Giants?
The Giants exercised Thibodeaux's fifth-year option before the 2025 season, which pays him a fully guaranteed $14.751 million in 2026. It is the final year of his rookie deal, and he is set to become a free agent in 2027.
Did the Giants try to trade Kayvon Thibodeaux?
Teams asked about Thibodeaux before the 2025 trade deadline, and NFL Network's Mike Garafolo reported Oct. 28, 2025, that the Giants told them they had no interest in trading him. At the 2026 scouting combine, general manager Joe Schoen said the team would listen to offers but expected Thibodeaux to stay.
What injuries has Kayvon Thibodeaux had?
Thibodeaux had wrist surgery after hurting it against Seattle in Week 5 of 2024 and went on injured reserve. The Giants ended his 2025 season by putting him on IR with a shoulder injury Dec. 20, 2025, after he had missed four straight games.

Also at linebacker:Abdul Carter, Micah McFadden, Zaire Barnes, Jack Kelly, Arvell Reese