Deonte Banks has spent the offseason turning heads, but Sunday night will tell the real story.
New York Giants cornerback Deonte Banks has climbed back into the picture under John Harbaugh after a stretch of uneven play, and that surge was enough to land him in the unofficial Week 1 starting lineup. It’s a notable turn for a former first-round pick who didn’t arrive at camp with a starting job in hand.
Defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson saw the change early. Speaking to Steve Serby of the New York Post, Wilson said, "I think he had a helluva offseason.
[Banks] has been one of those guys that's kind of been running to coaching. He's not running away from it."
That effort helped Banks move ahead of Paulson Adebo, who is in the second year of the three-year, $54 million contract he signed in free agency last offseason. Sitting a player on that kind of deal for a corner who has been underwhelming early in his career is a strong statement from Harbaugh.
Now comes the hard part. The Giants open against a Dallas Cowboys offense that can punish mistakes in a hurry, with CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens forming one of the league’s most dangerous receiver pairings. Dak Prescott is also willing to challenge defenses downfield, which means Banks is likely to see plenty of work right away.
A lot of those snaps could come against Pickens, who does most of his damage on the outside. Wilson can help with some extra support, but against an offense built around two top targets, there’s only so much doubling-up to go around.
If Banks holds up, keeps the explosive plays in check and adds a few pass deflections, Harbaugh’s gamble will look justified fast. If he doesn’t, the secondary could be exposed in a hurry.
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