Deonte Banks has already spent this summer proving he can survive in New York. The harder part starts now: making sure the Giants’ redemption story doesn’t stall before it gets rolling.
Banks came into the offseason with plenty to prove, and he answered it by fighting his way onto the 53-man roster after working off the bench during May workouts. That was a sharp turnaround from the uncertainty that had followed him into the summer, when it was fair to wonder whether the Giants might move him before Week 1.
Instead, Banks is still here, and Giants general manager Joe Schoen made clear he respects the way the cornerback has handled the pressure.
“I’m proud” of how Banks has fought to revive his career under a new coaching staff, Schoen said.
“Corner’s not an easy position,” Schoen said. “Your confidence can go up and down. And he’s continued to battle and fight [and] he’s taken advantage of the opportunity that he had this year."
That opportunity has not come with a starting job. Banks will open the season as a backup, which doesn’t exactly read like a triumphant headline for a former first-round pick whose fifth-year option was declined. But the Giants clearly decided he was worth keeping around, and they never shipped him out for a future Day 3 pick during final cuts or earlier.
There’s also a real chance he sees plenty of action right away. New York is heading into next Sunday’s game against the Cowboys, and that matchup brings a Dallas passing attack that demands attention.
Dak Prescott draws criticism, but the Giants know the challenge is real, especially with CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens in the picture. Harbaugh and defensive coordinator Denard Wilson should want every healthy, capable defensive back on the field.
Banks’ situation is bigger than one game, though. He’s only 25, and a productive season could put him in line for a multi-year deal next spring.
That kind of rebound is very much on the table. The Titans just guaranteed $14 million to Daniel Bellinger so he can be a blocking tight end, which is a reminder that teams will pay for the right role if they believe in the player.
The Giants also didn’t trade Kayvon Thibodeaux, who has slipped out of the spotlight in recent weeks. New York even listed Thibodeaux and Abdul Carter as co-starters at the SAM linebacker spot. That’s part of the same larger picture: the Giants kept several names in place and chose not to make Banks someone else’s problem.
Now the question is whether Banks can turn that faith into something more tangible. He’s preparing for his fourth season in New York, and the next step is simple enough to say and hard to do: make plays. Maybe even an interception, something he hasn’t had since 2023.
In Other News...
Giants New Pecking Order Is Already Turning Into A Real Camp Story
A fresh training camp approach has already started to show up on the Giants roster, with John Harbaugh and his staff giving opportunities to both familiar faces and players with no prior connection to him. The result is a group being judged less by old ties and more by how they fit what the coaches want, which is exactly the kind of reset that can change the tone of camp before the first full pads practice even settles in.
That shift has kept several key names in the mix, including Kayvon Thibodeaux and Deonte Banks, while also bringing in a few notable changes around the edges of the roster. Veteran lineman Daniel Faalele was dealt away, Najee Harris joined the backfield picture, and the bigger question now is how much this new pecking order will keep evolving once the competition really starts to sharpen. [Read more 🡒]
Giants Week 1 Depth Chart Just Raised Big Questions Before Cowboys
The Giants unofficial Week 1 depth chart offered an early look at how Brian Dabolls staff plans to line up against the Cowboys, and it came with a few notable wrinkles. Deonte Banks is now listed as a starting cornerback next to Greg Newsome II after moving up the chart, while Chauncey Golston is shown as the starting defensive end with Darius Alexander behind him. Cam Skattebo also appears as the starting running back, with several others stacked behind him, giving the backfield a layered look heading into the opener.
One of the more interesting details is what the Giants left off the chart altogether: there is no primary slot receiver listed, a sign they may rotate multiple players through that role. Depth charts this early can still shift before kickoff, but they can also hint at how a coaching staff sees its personnel after camp and the preseason. For a Giants team trying to settle key spots before facing Dallas, the chart raised as many questions as it answered. [Read more 🡒]
Giants Just Answered A Growing Concern On Their Defensive Line
The Giants added some needed experience up front by signing veteran defensive tackle Dean Lowry, a 32-year-old who has spent time with both the Packers and Steelers. He is expected to begin on the practice squad, but the move gives New York another seasoned body in a defensive line group that has been looking for more reliable depth and a steadier presence around the younger tackles.
Lowrys appeal is as much about what he can bring off the field as what he can do on it. The Giants view him as a versatile piece who can help against the run and offer the kind of leadership that can speed up the development of younger players, and in a room that has been under scrutiny, that sort of addition can matter as the season wears on. [Read more 🡒]