There’s no way around it. The New York Giants roster one of the worst cornerbacks in the NFL, and it’s officially time to accept that and move on.
Deonte Banks, whom the G-Men traded up with the Jacksonville Jaguars to select 24th in the 2023 Draft, just hasn’t panned out the way general manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll hoped. The idea was to take his athletic traits and impressive measurables and pair that with a glaring need in the secondary. Two-plus seasons in, and the experiment looks all but over.
As if the good ol’ Sunday eye test wasn’t enough, Pro Football Focus’ advanced analytics put the 24-year-old’s play in the worst light imaginable. Heading into Week 8, the former Maryland Terrapin ranks 104th out of 112 qualified cornerbacks in coverage grade and 106th in overall grade. Not great. It’s time to consider cutting losses and moving him for someone who might actually help this offense evolve. Enter: Adonai Mitchell of the Indianapolis Colts.
Giants could flip Deonte Banks for Colts WR Adonai Mitchell
The Colts have a secondary problem. Specifically, they don’t have enough bodies. Charvarius Ward, Justin Walley, and Jaylon Jones are all on IR — and desperation tends to inspire... creativity.
Banks is no longer a viable option in East Rutherford. After struggling through his first two seasons, he lost his starting job to Cor’Dale Flott. He still can’t turn his head to make a play on the ball to save his life, but for Indy? Desperate times call for creative measures.
Fortunately for the Colts, they’re stacked at wide receiver. Michael Pittman Jr., Josh Downs, and Alec Pierce are all ahead of Mitchell on the depth chart. That’s a shame, because the 23-year-old might actually be the most explosive of the bunch.
Coming out of Texas, Mitchell posted a ridiculous 9.99 Relative Athletic Score — the fifth-best among all receivers ever. He pairs that elite athleticism with ideal size at 6-foot-2 and 205 pounds. But with just 14 targets through seven games, it’s clear he’s not part of the Ponies’ current plan. So why not strike while the iron’s hot? Indy’s 6-1 and primed to make a playoff push.
They need secondary help, and Mitchell’s being wasted.
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Malik Nabers’ torn ACL dealt a massive blow to the Giants’ offensive ceiling. But rookie quarterback sensation Jaxson Dart is playing way ahead of schedule, and Big Blue suddenly looks more competitive than anyone expected, even at 2-5. If Schoen wants to keep that momentum alive, he must make moves that support his franchise cornerstone.
Mitchell could give Dart a legitimate weapon with real upside. Banks might not hold much value in New York, but he could finally serve a purpose in Indy. This might be the kind of low-risk, high-upside swap that helps both teams — and one the Giants should be all over.