It’s no secret that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will be looking for pass rush help this offseason. Whether through the draft, free agency, or trade, the Bucs need to find someone that can put pressure on opposing quarterbacks.
The most popular trade candidate connected to Tampa Bay has been Maxx Crosby, but the New York Giants could have an impact player on the trade block that would come at a much cheaper cost.
Buccaneers should explore a trade with Giants for Kayvon Thibodeaux
Bleacher Report’s Alex Ballentine proposed a trade that would send Giants EDGE Kayvon Thibodeaux to the Buccaneers for a third-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Bleacher Report #Buccaneers Mock Trade:
— SleeperBucs (@SleeperTBBUCS) February 20, 2026
Bucs receive: EDGE Kayvon Thibodeaux
Giants receive: 2026 3rd Round Pick (No. 77)
Would you do this? 🧐 #WeAreTheKrewe pic.twitter.com/ob875kapE7
A third rounder for the 25-year-old former first-round pick could prove to be a steal if he can reach his full potential.
“It feels like the Bucs have needed pass-rush help every offseason for years,” wrote Ballentine. "Making a move for a young dynamic talent like Kayvon Thibodeaux could change things.”
“It would be fun to see the former Oregon star in a blitz-heavy system that's going to let him do what he does best. The Giants could be willing to take a third-rounder to get out of the club-option year on his contract, set to cost them $14.8 million."
Thibodeaux remains a highly talented player, though he has somewhat fallen out of favor in New York behind Brian Burns and 2025 first-round pick Abdul Carter. A shoulder injury also limited him to just 10 games last season, during which he posted a career-low 2.5 sacks.
Still, the upside is obvious. Thibodeaux recorded 11.5 sacks during his 2023 sophomore campaign, proving he can be a legitimate double-digit sack producer at the NFL level.
Tampa Bay hasn’t had a player hit double-digit sacks since Shaq Barrett did it all the way back in 2021. The lack of a dominant edge rusher has been a constant weakness that general manager Jason Licht hasn’t been able to fix despite his best efforts.
The Buccaneers spent a first-round pick on Joe Tryon-Soyinka back in 2021, but he was a bust and never recorded more than five sacks in a season.
They spent a second-round pick on Chris Braswell in 2024, but he’s recorded just 2.5 sacks in two seasons, and looks to be another swing and miss for Tampa Bay.
They even got aggressive and signed Haason Reddick to a one-year, $14 million deal last offseason, but he finished his lone season in Tampa Bay with just 2.5 sacks, and now the front office is back to the drawing board once again.
So when it comes to trading for a player like Thibodeaux, what do the Bucs really have to lose?
They’ve already spent premium draft capital and significant free agency money chasing pass-rush production with nothing to show for it. If Tampa Bay can acquire a young edge defender with proven double-digit sack potential for the price of a third-round pick, it feels like a gamble worth taking.