The New York Giants had their first joint practice with the New York Jets on Tuesday, and things didn’t exactly go as planned for Deonte Banks.
The third-year cornerback has struggled this summer, coming off a highly disappointing 2024 season that saw him regress significantly from his rookie campaign.
Banks now finds himself fighting for a spot in the starting lineup against fourth-year cornerback Cor’Dale Flott.
Garrett Wilson got the better of Deonte Banks
Connor Hughes of SNY reported from the sidelines at practice and indicated that Banks struggled to match up against the Jets’ $130 million receiver.
“Justin Fields has completed three straight passes to Garrett Wilson,” Hughes reported on X. “Deonte Banks covering him. Struggling with that assignment.”
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Credit: Julian Leshay Guadalupe/NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Ralph Vacchiano of Fox Sports later reported that Banks headed to the locker room in the middle of practice. Now would be an inopportune moment for an injury to pop up.
The Giants need to see Banks make improvements
In their preseason Week 1 matchup against the Bills on Saturday, the Giants had Banks play the entire first half. Head coach Brian Daboll explained that he felt like Banks “could use some work.”
Banks played fine in the game, surrendering only one catch for 12 yards and posting a 73.1 PFF Coverage Grade.
However, his inability to get his head turned around and make a play on the ball during a contested catch opportunity during the game highlighted Banks’s biggest weakness — one that the Giants had hoped would be rectified by now.
Rumors suggest the Giants could be in the market for another cornerback to compete for the starting job alongside Banks and Flott. If Banks doesn’t turn things around, he could miss out on his chance to be a starter in 2025.