The NY Giants used a premium pick on former Maryland star cornerback Deonte Banks with the expectation he would be a defensive cornerstone for years to come. Instead, Banks has struggled in his sophomore year both with his play on the field and his overall effort (or lack of same) when playing.
Banks became the subject of serious rancor when he seemingly gave up trying to tackle Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts on what became a huge run in a brutal home loss. Safe to say, Banks' next game in primetime against the Pittsburgh Steelers did not go as planned.
While the Giants and Steelers went into halftime tied at 9-9, star defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence was so irritated with how things were going that he started getting feisty with his own defensive backs. Banks found himself in the fray, and he sealed his fate with more poor effort on the field.
Head coach Brian Daboll seemingly put Banks on the bench, with Greg Stroman coming in to replace him. According to NFL insider Mike Garafolo, Daboll was upset with Banks' lackluster technique after being leapfrogged by Steelers running back Najee Harris for a big gain.
#Giants coach Brian Daboll got after Deonte Banks pretty strongly after Najee Harris leaped him. Some consternation on the sideline with the defensive players before this series. https://t.co/GMMW2lgTuS
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) October 29, 2024
Giants CB Deonte Banks seemingly benched vs. Steelers
Banks' 58.0 PFF grade shows that he hasn't necessarily taken the step forward many envisioned he would at the beginning of the season. With his subpar tackling also on display, the Giants are seeing Banks devolve after a rookie year in which he flashed all the star traits from his Terrapins days.
Banks is lucky the rest of his the defense has been able to pick up the slack, as New York's elite Lawrence-led defensive line has kept the unit performing so well that there hasn't been much attention on Banks and his development. When examined closely, however, the flaws start to become obvious.
The Giants seemingly kept up their benching in the second half, as Brian Daboll thought this was the perfect time to teach his former first-round pick a lesson. Things have gone from bad to worse quickly for Banks.