The training camp battle between cornerbacks Deonte Banks and Cor’Dale Flott is legit, and the New York Giants didn’t shy away from the seriousness of the starting competition when releasing their initial preseason depth chart on August 5.
“Deonte Banks or Cor’Dale Flott,” the depth chart read, across from unquestioned CB1 Paulson Adebo. With nickel specialist Dru Phillips expected to man the slot, that means the loser of Banks vs. Flott will likely drop to CB4 entering Week 1.
While the word “or” is generally used sparingly during training camp depth charts, sometimes you’ll see it when coaches enter the preseason with a wide-open quarterback competition. In this case, the Giants are seemingly confirming that their second starting cornerback job is up for grabs.
Behind the top three outside cornerbacks, Tre Hawkins III is the only CB listed on the second-team defense, with Art Green and rookie Korie Black as the third-teamers. Nic Jones is currently listed as the backup slot behind Phillips.
Giants Defensive Coordinator Shane Bowen Says CB Competition Is ‘Good for’ Both Deonte Banks & Cor’Dale Flott
GettyNew York Giants cornerbacks Cor’Dale Flott and Deonte Banks have been rotating throughout training camp.
On August 6, while speaking with the media at training camp, Giants defensive coordinator Shane Bowen followed up with a more public acknowledgement of the CB2 battle.
“DC Shane Bowen said the competition at cornerback between Cor’Dale Flott and Deonte Banks has been ‘good for both of them,’” team reporter Dan Salomone relayed on X. “He’s seeing them get their hands on footballs more often.”
On cue, Banks managed to intercept first-string quarterback Russell Wilson later that day at practice, per SNY’s Connor Hughes.
“Tae Banks intercepts Russell Wilson in the Giants’ 2-minute drill,” Hughes reported. “He went to Wan’Dale Robinson. Good coverage. Bad throw.”
Earlier in the practice, Hughes also credited Banks with “good coverage” on a Wilson “long ball” attempt for Jalin Hyatt. On the play, Banks and safety Tyler Nubin combined to knock the football away from Hyatt.
Banks Appears to Be Leading CB2 Battle at Giants Training Camp
“Giants Nation Show” podcaster Bobby Skinner has been keeping a close eye on this camp competition all summer, and while it was pretty even at first, Banks appears to have taken a bit of a lead heading into August.
On August 1, Skinner even stated that it “looks like [Banks’] job to lose,” after noting three straight practices where Banks had logged “starts.”
Part of the shift in this competition is due to Flott suffering an undisclosed injury, but Banks has also risen to the occasion after a shaky start. And that’s the goal, isn’t it?
The Giants want their former first-round selection to realize his potential and play more like the confident rookie who looked like a rising star out of the gates. That doesn’t mean they’ll hand him the job, but if he manages to earn it — while also maturing a little more as a teammate in the process — this CB2 experiment will undoubtedly go down as a smashing success.
After all, if Banks can regain his 2023 form, the Giants’ defense has a chance to be really formidable on paper. Their pass rush should be strong, but the best defensive partnership in football is when you can pair a ferocious pass rush with a lockdown secondary.
The Giants’ secondary hasn’t quite earned that description just yet, but having a resurgent Banks at CB2 would certainly help them achieve that goal.
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