Kayvon Thibodeaux was just out of reach for the Baltimore Ravens four years ago. Today? Maybe not.
The former No. 5 overall pick is being floated as a potential trade target for Baltimore, according to GmenHQ’s Mike Luciano. The Oregon product met with the Ravens ahead of the 2022 draft but they never had a realistic shot at landing him.
Now, the fit is starting to look a lot more realistic—and a lot more interesting.
Baltimore has kept things relatively quiet this offseason. They added DeAndre Hopkins and Chidobe Awuzie. Let a few familiar names walk from their secondary. And they’ve mostly set themselves up to see how the draft board shakes out. But if there’s one spot on the roster that feels like it’s walking a tightrope, it’s edge rusher.
And that’s exactly where a player like Thibodeaux could change the outlook.
A former draft flame re-enters the Ravens’ radar
Luciano laid it out like this:
“The Ravens finally saw Odafe Oweh break out, and Kyle Van Noy is still a productive player. Even with those two factors working in their favor, they need one more dynamic playmaker up front. John Harbaugh developing Thibodeaux could be a scary sight for the rest of the AFC."
He’s not wrong.
Thibodeaux only posted 5.5 sacks last season, but he’s tallied 21 over three years with the Giants. He’s been streaky—and New York’s front office seems open to a shake-up. If the Giants select Penn State’s Abdul Carter with the third overall pick, Thibodeaux could be the odd man out. That’s where Baltimore comes in.
Thibodeaux was firmly on the Ravens’ radar during the 2022 draft process. He met with them after his Pro Day at Oregon and was reportedly on their shortlist if he somehow slid. Instead, the G-Men scooped him up at No. 5 overall, and the Ravens pivoted to Kyle Hamilton and Tyler Linderbaum—no complaints there, obviously.
Still, with Kyle Van Noy turning 34, Odafe Oweh entering a contract year, and David Ojabo still more theory than production, the Ravens’ edge group is thinner than it looks. They need a star. They need a long-term, consistent piece to be ruthless to opposing quarterbacks. Thibodeaux, under Harbaugh and defensive coordinator Zach Orr, could be just that.
Would he come cheap? Probably not. But we’re talking about a 24-year-old former top-five pick who might just need a more stable defensive system to unlock his ceiling. And the Ravens have a knack for turning "average" defenders into game-wreckers.
Armed with 11 picks in the 2025 NFL Draft, Baltimore could easily flip a Day 2 or two Day 3 selections to make a deal work and still have plenty of ammo left to retool the roster for another Super Bowl push.