The Kansas City Chiefs just re-signed veteran pass rusher Charles Omenihu on March 20, but their edge rusher depth is still a little bit shaky with recent draft picks Felix Anudike-Uzomah and BJ Thompson failing to emerge early in their respective careers.
The latter’s entire NFL future is actually shrouded in uncertainty, being that he has not played in a game since suffering a seizure that sent him into cardiac arrest in June of 2024.
So, what if there was a way the Chiefs could solve their pass rusher issue via trade?
Former New York Giants first rounder Kayvon Thibodeaux has come up as a potential trade candidate ahead of the 2025 NFL Draft, let’s say NYG uses the No. 3 overall pick on Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter.
With that in mind, Last Word on Sports writer Anthony Palacios identified the Chiefs as one of five potential trade fits for Thibodeaux on March 27. Noting that Kansas City traded for Joshua Uche to help remedy this issue last season.
Now Uche has left in free agency after failing to make an impact in 2024.
“Thibodeaux has not only the size but the potential speed to be a rotational piece that could carve out a role in this defense,” Palacios argued.
In 45 career starts, Thibodeaux has flashed talent with 21 career sacks — 11.5 of which came in 2023 — and 26 tackles for a loss, as well as 6 forced fumbles, 46 quarterback hits and 11 pass defenses.
Having said that, he hasn’t exactly lived up to his draft status due to a lack of consistency, and the Giants could view Carter as a cheaper upgrade on Thibodeaux after trading for and extending fellow edge defender Brian Burns.
Giants’ 5th-Year Option Decision Could Impact If Kayvon Thibodeaux Is Available as Trade Candidate for Chiefs
There’s another hurdle when it comes to trading for Thibodeaux. The move would likely occur either before or during the draft — if it were to happen at all.
The reason for that is a fifth-year option decision looms just after draft weekend on May 2, and the Giants must decide if they’ll be extending that offer to the former No. 5 overall pick even if they don’t elect to trade him.
On the flip side, if they do trade him, any potential suitor — i.e. the Chiefs — would have to weigh whether or not they’d like to pay Thibodeaux’s fifth-year option as well. Per NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero and Over the Cap, Thibodeaux’s option would cost exactly $14.751 million in 2026.
Keep in mind, KC is already deciding on two fifth-year options of their own, George Karlaftis and Trent McDuffie. So, even if the Chiefs did trade for Thibodeaux, it feels unlikely that they’d pick up his option.
That would make the NYG pass rusher more of a one-year rental, which could impact how much Kansas City is willing to give up.
2 AFC Rivals of Chiefs Listed as Potential Trade Fits for Giants’ Kayvon Thibodeaux
Along with the Chiefs, Palacios suggested four other suitors who line up as potential trade fits for Thibodeaux. Two of them were AFC rivals of Kansas City.
The NFL writer named the Los Angeles Chargers, Baltimore Ravens, Carolina Panthers and New Orleans Saints as teams that line up as possible Thibodeaux suitors.
Needless to say, two of those franchises — the Chargers and Ravens — could end up standing between the Chiefs and another Super Bowl appearance. More reason for KC to keep their ears open if Thibodeaux becomes available ahead of the draft.
