The Green Bay Packers never had a realistic shot at trading for Dexter Lawrence after the Cincinnati Bengals gave up the 10th overall pick to acquire him. Yes, you read that right, the 10th overall pick.
It could, though, also hurt the Packers' chances of landing another New York Giants defender, Kayvon Thibodeaux.
Since the Giants drafted Abdul Carter last year to pair with Brian Burns, Thibodeaux's name has often come up in potential trade scenarios. However, they may have closed the door.
"The Giants, who had gotten trade calls centered around edge Kayvon Thibodeaux for the last few months, are now considered less likely to trade him following the blockbuster deal sending Dexter Lawrence to the Bengals, sources say," reports Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
Packers' chances of trading for Kayvon Thibodeaux have seemingly dropped
The Packers need to add another pass-rusher this offseason, potentially during this week's NFL Draft. Not only is Micah Parsons likely to miss the start of the season while he recovers from a torn ACL, but the defense became far too reliant on his production last year.
Green Bay traded Rashan Gary to the Dallas Cowboys and lost Kingsley Enagbare in free agency. It leaves Lukas Van Ness, Brenton Cox Jr., Barryn Sorrell, and Collin Oliver as the team's top edge-rushers behind Parsons.
It's why Thibodeaux made sense as a potential target.
Selected with the No. 5 pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, Thibodeaux hasn't lived up to those sky-high expectations, but he undoubtedly still has the potential to become an excellent starter.
Thibodeaux has 23.5 sacks in 53 career games, including a career-best 11.5 in the 2023 season. While his pass rush requires more consistency, there's no doubting his work as a run defender. Thibodeaux earned a PFF run defense grade of 80.7 last season, ranking seventh among 115 edge defenders.
And if he could rediscover his best pass-rush potential, especially alongside an All-Pro in Parsons, look out.
That possibility no longer seems viable. The Giants have now lost a three-time Pro Bowler from their defensive line, making them reluctant to give away another key starter.
Green Bay doesn't have a first-round pick this week, but the pass-rush class is strong. The team may prioritize other needs, like cornerback and defensive tackle, but there should be opportunities to add an edge defender early. The only question is whether Brian Gutekunst will take advantage of that.
Thibodeaux, for now at least, won't be the Packers' solution.
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