Throughout Bill Belichick's years as the Patriots' head coach and unofficial general manager, there weren't many times the team was suspected of getting involved in a big-time trade for a player like AJ Brown, let alone another like Kayvon Thibodeaux. But that's where the Mike Vrabel regime currently stands, as they continue to build a roster capable of another Super Bowl run.
They accomplished that through free agency and the draft, just to top it off by acquiring Brown earlier this week. And now, the latest from NFL insider Jeremy Fowler suggests they are looking into another player who could be the final piece to make them a championship-caliber team.
That player right now is Thibodeaux, the Giants' pass rusher who has been subject to trade talks since the start of the offseason. A big reason for that is the addition of Abdul Carter from last year's draft, on top of signing Brian Burns and selecting one of the best pass rushers of this year's incoming class, Arvell Reese.
That makes Thibodeaux an obvious trade, and the latest proposals have him going for a mid-round pick, which is a perfect price for a team like the Patriots.
Fowler lists them as a team to watch over the next few weeks, and there's a lot to like about the idea.
The Patriots are a team to watch as Kayvon Thibodeaux's trade market heats up
During an appearance on NFL Live this past week, Fowler revealed a few teams that have called about Thibodeaux's availability, with the Saints being the most prominent.
He then mentioned that the Patriots are a sleeper team to watch, even after trading for Brown. Considering the defensive line is still considered one of the weakest parts of the current roster, it makes a lot of sense for New England to make the call.
“The New Orleans Saints, they kicked the tires on this. The sleeper in this could be the New England Patriots, funny enough. They’re in on AJ Brown, we know that, they feel like they might be a player away (and) edge rusher is where they’re a little bit thin, so they could at least look into it.”
At this point in time, the Patriots will rely heavily on Harold Landry's bounce back from an injury to remain as the top pass rusher, along with new addition Dre'Mont Jones. Neither is the game-wrecker that the defense really needs, however, which gives a big opportunity for overlooked players like Corey Durden and Elijah Ponder to step up to the plate.
But if that's not enough or the Patriots want some more veteran insurance on game day, trading for Thibodeaux makes a lot of sense. He's only 25 years old, a fifth-overall pick from the 2022 draft, and is only a couple of years removed from a double-digit sack season.
His situation in New York has been far from ideal, with a revolving door of head coaches and coordinators, on top of quarterbacks, and a change of scenery could make him into the superstar player he was projected to be.
That makes him an easy addition for the Patriots, especially if the Giants really will accept a fifth-round pick in return, and their defense will immediately become a lot more dominant on game day.
At the very least, Eliot Wolf should call the Giants to kick the tires, just as the Saints did, and see what it would take to make a trade happen. There are some other pass rushers they could call about around the league, but Thibodeaux should be near the top of the list.
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