It’s no secret how to feast on the New York Giants’ defense, simply target Deonte Banks and his fellow cornerbacks, like Cor’Dale Flott, with a play they fail to stop “over and over again.”
That’s the damning verdict delivered by one unnamed NFL Defensive coach, who spoke with ESPN’s Jordan Raanan. The coach revealed, Giants corners “can’t tackle,” with Raanan noting the critic was “specifically talking about (general manager Joe) Schoen draft picks Cor’Dale Flott (third round in 2022) and Deonte Banks (first round in 2023).”
Things turned ugly for Banks in Week 16, when the disappointing third-year pro who was “playing only because of an injury to Flott, was taken out of Sunday’s 16-13 loss to the Vikings and replaced by 2025 seventh-round pick Korie Black because of his inability to protect the edge on several running plays,” per Raanan.
As the defensive coach casting a despairing eye over the fatal flaw of the Giants’ defense told Raanan, “Every team in the league runs crack-toss against them. Over and over again.”
This trend is bad news, or perhaps not, for the Giants ahead of Week 17’s game on the road against the Las Vegas Raiders. The Silver and Black field one of the more dynamic running backs in the league, rookie Ashton Jeanty, who will relish attacking the Giants off tackle and forcing ill-equipped defensive backs into run support.
Perhaps the Giants will forgive Banks and Flott some more mediocre tackling if it means the franchise tanks and lands the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL draft.
Deonte Banks Typical of Defensive Shortcomings
Banks could be the poster child for what has gone wrong with the Giants in recent years. He’s neck and neck with offensive lineman Evan Neal, selected seventh overall back in 2022, as the biggest draft flop of Schoen’s stewardship.
Poor recruitment has hamstrung the Giants and helps explain why a defense loaded with high-round draft picks hasn’t met expectations. Banks has had his maturity questioned, along with openly admitting he doesn’t always commit to tackling.
Those were good enough reasons for Banks to lose his starting job, but even when offered a reprieve this season, he’s fluffed his lines. Like when the former Maryland star again shied away from run support to concede a touchdown, then surrendered a long completion to create the game-winning field goal for the Denver Broncos in Week 7.
Banks has become a liability in both phases of defense, so it’s no wonder the Giants started to view 2022 third-round pick Flott as more reliable. Unfortunately, the 24-year-old is showing the same core weakness as Banks when it comes to being a force player against the run.
The issue has even extended to the safety spots, where Tyler Nubin, a top-50 pick in the 2023 draft, is “second on the team with 10 missed tackles against the run,” according to Raanan.
This week could be the wrong time for the Giants to firm up when there’s a potentially richer reward available for losing. Jeanty might not give Banks and Co. a choice.
Ashton Jeanty Primed to Punish Giants
Jeanty is a budding superstar on an otherwise dismal Raiders team. He offered further evidence of his game-breaking ability with a 128-yard rushing effort against the Houston Texans last week, that included this 51-yard scoring dash.
Stopping Jeanty before he reaches a tackle-shy secondary should be the priority, but the Giants lack enough muscle up front to get the job done. The same defensive coach who lamented Banks’ failings to Raanan also declared, the Giants have “No big, physical run stuffers.”
There’s no mystery behind why the Giants can’t stop the run. A lack of physicality is tangible at every level of their defense, but adding an enforcer or two on the back end is a must this offseason.
It’s also something that could finally bring the curtain down on Banks’ dire spell with the team.
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