The Cincinnati Bengals are desperate for help at all levels of their defense as the NFL trade deadline nears. Although head coach Zac Taylor is in charge of the offense, he's a convenient fall guy in the likely event that the Bengals stick with deserves-to-be-fired Duke Tobin as de facto GM.
Taylor tends to botch late-game situations at times, but not before his offense puts a ton of points on the board, only to be let down by the other side of the ball. That was for sure the case in Week 8's 39-38 loss to the previously win-free New York Jets.
So how can Tobin, Taylor, and the Bengals' brass turn it all around? Picking up the phone to dial New York Giants GM Joe Schoen about a certain edge defender would be a great start.
Kayvon Thidobeaux trade with Giants would transform awful Bengals defense
Fox Sports insider Jordan Schultz reports that Giants standout Kayvon Thidobeaux is "a name to watch" as a trade candidate. Schultz cited the depth of pass rushers available around the deadline as to why the market has been a bit slow thus far.
Thibodeaux is a former top-five draft pick who had 11.5 sacks in his second season back in 2023. Since the G-Men drafted Abdul Carter No. 3 overall this year at Thibodeaux's position, there's reason to believe the latter could be on his way out.
In addition to his double-digit sack campaign, the 24-year-old is currently PFF's third-best defender against the run amongst all players on the edge.
Almost needless to say, or else I wouldn't say it: Thibodeaux would be a major boon to the Bengals' defensive end group.
Cincinnati superstar Trey Hendrickson is dealing with a nagging hip injury. Rookie first-rounder Shemar Stewart has had a slow development process and doesn't look ready to contribute in a meaningful way. Nor do any other Bengals rookies, but that's a whole other matter.
Don't even get me started on the likes of Joseph Ossai, Myles Murphy, and Cam Sample. All former draft picks. All not good enough to start.
Kayvon Thibodeaux is one of those "so painfully obvious it hurts" trade candidates who the Bengals tend to shrug at. They'll stay loyal to their draft picks who can't play a lick, while Thibodeaux inevitably leaves the 2-6 Giants for far greener pastures on an actual Super Bowl contender.
You can make a real argument that Thibodeaux hasn't fulfilled his promise as a fifth overall pick. If the Bengals had drafted him that high, relative to his draft position and success, Thibodeaux would be one of their biggest home run picks in recent history.
That's when you know it's a sad state of affairs in Cincinnati.
Giants' reported disinterest in Kayvon Thibodeaux trade could be bait for Bengals and other suitors to sweeten offers
Monday saw super-underrated Titans nickelback Roger McCreary sold off to the Rams for peanuts. Us Who Dey Heads will, in all likelihood, sit back and watch in helpless sadness as Thibodeaux gets moved elsewhere for, oh, a conditional fifth-round pick?
OK that's hyperbolic. It takes two to tango on a trade, and NFL Media's Mike Garafolo reports that the G-Men are allegedly intent on keeping Thibodeaux, telling a few suitors that they have "no interest in trading him."
Is that genuine? I don't mean Garafolo's intel. I mean, is this a case of the Giants trying to drive up the asking price in a trade?
I'd give up a third-rounder for Thibodeaux, plus Ossai or Murphy, plus maybe a Day 3 pick in 2027. Make it a Godfather offer New York can't refuse!
Thibs is on his fifth-year contract option next season. Hendrickson will likely get the franchise tag. This gives Stewart more runway to develop, too, and relegates him to Hendrickson insurance rather than bankable starter, which he isn't.