The New York Giants are relying on several players to take the next step in their development for the upcoming season.
That may be more true for edge rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux than any player on the Giants roster. Coming off a career-high 11.5 sacks, the third-year pass-rusher has a chance to be one of the team’s foundational pieces.
In listing each team’s most promising building block, David Kenyon of Bleacher Report landed on Thibodeaux for the Giants.
As if 11.5 sacks last season isn’t exciting enough, Kayvon Thibodeaux is no longer the Giants’ top edge-rusher. They acquired and extended Brian Burns, whose presence should benefit Thibodeaux in 2024. The third-year defender is positioned well to thrive this season.
Even after acquiring Brian Burns via trade this offseason, the Giants are hoping Thibodeaux can be the type of difference-making pass-rusher they drafted in 2022.
While his career-high in sacks was nice, Thibodeaux will be looking to add more consistency to his game. Among edge rushers with at least 328 pass-rushing snaps, Thibodeaux’s 6.4% pass-rush win rate ranked 55th, according to Pro Football Focus.
If he can begin winning a bit earlier on downs — the arrival of Burns should help — then the Giants defense can truly take the next step.