One of the biggest storylines from last week's loss to the Philadelphia Eagles was the lack of effort from second-year cornerback Deonte Banks multiple times throughout the game. It was immediately made clear that this was unacceptable based on the reaction of Andre Patterson on the sideline during said plays. However, the NY Giants locker room has apparently been letting Banks hear it.
Dexter Lawrence, a team captain and one of the biggest names on the Giants, took to the media on Thursday to make his displeasure with Banks known. We're sure Patterson and other coaches have been letting Banks know this wasn't okay, but to hear it from Lawrence is huge.
Defensive captain and team leader Dexter Lawrence on Deonte Banks' lack of effort:
— Jordan Raanan (@JordanRaanan) October 24, 2024
"That is not acceptable. He knows it. We addressed it. That's that type of thing we don't accept that as a defense. He knows that."
Lawrence said they addressed it once. Can't happen again.
Hopefully, this gets ingrained into Banks' mind and we don't see this lack of effort occur again. Last week wasn't the first time Banks has done something like this and the 23-year-old CB has a lot of time to grow, but this is inexcusable.
NY Giants star Dexter Lawrence is not happy with Deonte Banks
Lawrence, the NFL sacks leader as of now, has been one of the most vocal players in the Giants' locker room. Whether it be hyping his teammates up, keeping them in check, or criticizing his own play, Lawrence is the definition of a leader. For him to make such a serious statement to Banks is huge and will likely steer the sophomore in the right direction.
Banks has had a rough start to his second season. He showed plenty of flashes as a rookie in 2023, but he is now being called upon to guard some of the best receivers in the NFL. While at times he has held his own incredibly well, he needs to do better both as a player and leader.
This defense looks up to Banks to deliver in big moments playing such a crucial position. So, to see him not only perform poorly at times, but also give a big lack of effort is a bad look for both him and the defense in general.
Banks will likely have his easiest matchup of the season going against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday Night Football. If he can perform well, it could instill much-needed confidence in him that could play a big role in fixing his effort problem.