Cor'Dale Flott, New York Giants
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Cor'Dale Flott #28 of the New York Giants reacts to a play against the Los Angeles Rams at MetLife Stadium.
The New York Giants have several decisions to make when it comes to their secondary this offseason.
Starting cornerback Cor’Dale Flott is set to become an unrestricted free agent, coming off his career-best season. It’s possible he priced himself out of the Giants‘ range.
Deonte Banks, the 24th overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, isn’t quite a free agent yet. But the Giants front office has to make a decision on his fifth-year option.
His play has left a lot to be desired over his short career, and it’s unlikely New York picks up that option, leaving Banks as a reserve corner entering the final year of his rookie contract.
If the Giants are unable to retain Flott, who can they turn to to man their other starting corner spot opposite Paulson Adebo?
Giants Trade Idea Lands Ravens’ Marlon Humphrey
In a trade proposal from Bleacher Report, Alex Ballentine suggested the New York Giants target Baltimore Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey, a player on the back end of his career, but still productive nonetheless.
He could be a key asset in instilling John Harbaugh’s defensive and cultural principles on his new team.
New York Giants receive: CB Marlon Humphrey
Baltimore Ravens receive: 2026 fourth-round pick (No. 105), 2026 sixth-round pick (No. 191)
“The secondary is a specific unit that could use some veteran leadership. Cor’Dale Flott, Paulson Adebo and Andru Phillips were the mainstays at cornerback this season. None are exactly foundational pieces moving forward,” wrote Ballentine.
“Humphrey might be on the tail end of his peak. He’s 29 and his 2025 campaign didn’t live up to his All-Pro 2024 season.”
With Flott expected to depart in free agency, the Giants have a gaping hole at cornerback, and Humphrey could be the perfect replacement on a Giants defense that could use some veteran savvy.
Despite the lengthy five-year, $97.5 million contract signed in 2020, Humprhey only has one year remaining on the deal. The Ravens could look to clear up their books by offloading him to another team.
Enter the Giants, a team with a need at the position and a coaching staff that knows how to use him.
New defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson coached Baltimore’s defensive backs in 2023 and likely has a prior relationship with Humphrey.
The Downsides of a Marlon Humphrey Trade
Humphrey would be a fine addition to the New York Giants; there isn’t a dispute there. But there would be cons to landing the former Baltimore Ravens cornerback.
For starters, he isn’t cheap. As it stands now, the Giants are entering the offseason with roughly $5 million in cap space, according to Over the Cap.
Humphrey’s cap hit for the 2026 season is $26.2 million, per Spotrac, an incredibly expensive price tag for a player who’s past his prime.
Add in the fact that the Giants would have to ship out their own fourth-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, and it leaves them with no selections in both the third and fourth rounds come April.
For a team in dire need of more draft capital, and not less, a trade seems counterintuitive.
If the Giants feel they desperately need to make an addition to their cornerback room, Humphrey would no doubt be a great get for their defense.
But if they weigh the pros and cons and decide the price is too much, it would make sense that they would want to stray from this hypothetical trade.