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New York Giants edge rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux surprised everyone with wrist surgery earlier this week. Since the procedure, the Giants made a predictable injury move for the star edge rusher. The team declared that he will be out for at least four weeks after undergoing surgery on his wrist, according to Dan Duggan of TheAthletic.com.
After breaking the scaphoid bone in his wrist, Thibodeaux has a four-to-six-week recovery timeline. Thibodeaux recorded 12 total tackles with two sacks, three tackles for loss, and seven quarterback hits so far this season. Throughout his three seasons with the Giants, the Oregon standout has been what the franchise hoped for.
In the 2023-24 season, Thibodeaux had 11.5 sacks, four pass deflections, and three forced fumbles. He also started and played in all 17 games for New York. Throughout the season so far, the Giants have had an above-average defense allowing 20.8 points per game (11th best). Even though the statistics might not show it, the star edge rusher has been a big part of it.
He consistently is double-teamed by tackles and guards all game long. If Thibodeaux is ever in a one-on-one scenario, he often takes advantage. His athleticism, feel, and brute strength leave fans and the opposition stunned.
Kayvon Thibodeaux's injury leaves a huge hole in the Giants defense
As mentioned before, Thibodeaux creates a lot of attention on the defensive line. As a result, New York has the most sacks of any team so far this season (22.0). The defensive line has created many problems for opposing offensive fronts. A mix of defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence, outside linebacker Brian Burns, and Thibodeaux forces offenses to pick their poison on who they want to stop.
With Thibodeaux out, Burns and Lawrence can still dominate but the outside edge won't be as dominant. Both Thibodeaux and Burns are elite on the outside. Burns can still dominate but offensive lines can focus their attention on one side of the line. For example, the Kansas City Chiefs' offensive line can pull their guards and tackles to one side to limit Lawrence and Burns.
Although defensive coordinator Shane Bowen will craft up something to limit Thibodeaux's absence, it'll still be noticeable. The former fifth-overall pick will miss his first game of the season, and possibly many more. The Giants will look for continued defensive success, as they take on the Cincinnati Bengals in a Sunday Night Football showdown.
