Day one of the NFL Draft has come and gone. In a night filled with trades, surprising picks, and the Seahawks drafting another running back in the first round, one non-Seattle pick stood out as well. And no, I am not talking about the Los Angeles Rams selecting quarterback, Ty Simpson. Rather, it is the New York Giants selecting edge rusher/linebacker Arvell Reese at 5th overall.
What’s interesting about this selection is that the Giants had already been dealing with trade rumors surrounding former
first round pick, Kayvon Thibodeaux, another edge rusher. The Giants entered the night with a plethora of edge rushers, including Thibodeaux, as well as Brian Burns and Abdul Carter. Between those three players, Thibodeaux was the clear third option. Now with the Giants selecting Arvell Reese, could Thibodeaux be the fourth option?
Early reports have suggested that the Giants do not intend to trade Thibodeaux. However, when asked about trade chatter, Giants coach John Harbaugh went on to say that “everybody’s tradeable.” That certainly sounds like Thibodeaux could be had at the right price. And Seattle could still be in contention.
The Seahawks entered the 2026 NFL Draft with three clear needs: running back, cornerback, and edge rusher. Seattle checked off running back with the selection of Notre Dame’s Jadarian Price at pick 32. However, cornerback and edge rusher remain needs. There are a few intriguing edge names available in the second round (TJ Parker, Zion Young, Cashius Howell, Gabe Jacas, R Mason Thomas), however will any of them make it to Seattle at 64? It could behoove the Seahawks to make a deal with the Giants for Thibodeaux and add him to the room alongside Derick Hall, DeMarcus Lawrence, and Uchenna Nwosu.
However, trading for a player like Thibodaux would come with some risk as he is entering the final year of his contract. The Giants picked up Thibodeaux’s fifth year option last offseason, which fully guarantees his $14.7 million contract for 2026. John Schneider would probably want to ask the Giants to pay some of that guaranteed money, so Seattle doesn’t take on the full $14.7 million cap hit, especially if the Seahawks offered pick 64. Schneider would also likely want to have a potential extension in place for Thibodeaux. However, the Seahawks have traded for players on expiring contracts before without extending them immediately after the trade, just like they did for Rashid Shaheed last year.
If Seattle doesn’t get an edge rusher in this year’s class, they could look to a more established player instead.
