The New York Giants made their first official free-agency move of the new NFL calendar year by shoring up their struggling secondary with 25-year-old Paulson Adebo. Adebo is a young cornerback who was originally drafted in the third- ound of the 2021 NFL Draft by the New Orleans Saints.
Adebo is a good corner, but he doesn't come without his share of red flags. He missed most of the 2024 season after suffering a broken femur against the Denver Broncos in October. The injury interrupted a very strong campaign for the young corner, so it's fair to question what he'll look like when he comes back. But in theory, he's a boundary corner who should be able to be their No. 1 outside corner on day one.
This is a big gamble by the Giants, but a necessary one. Adoree' Jackson is a free agent, and former first-round pick Deonte Banks has not lived up to the billing as the Giants' future secondary star. If anything, the Adebo signing almost guarantees the Giants could be giving up on the 24-year-old.
Giants' Paulson Adebo signing puts Deonte Banks on the hot seat
Banks just hasn't looked the part of a future cornerstone. Whether it be his loose coverage or poor attitude and effort, he's looking more and more like a bust as his time with Big Blue moves along.
Banks' status was already up in the air in 2024, with rookie sensation Andru Phillips making an immediate impact and looking like the best cornerback on the roster. If the Giants were truly confident in Banks, this signing wouldn’t have been necessary. Instead, they went out and got a guy in Adebo who—when healthy—has been an aggressive, playmaking corner with legitimate ball-hawking ability. That’s not exactly a glowing endorsement of Banks' future in blue.
The biggest question mark now is whether Adebo will be the same player post-injury. A broken femur isn’t your run-of-the-mill ankle sprain, and while his 2023 tape was promising, there’s no guarantee he’ll return to form immediately. But given how shaky the Giants' secondary has been, rolling the dice on Adebo makes sense.
At worst, he gives the team a viable option outside and keeps Banks on his toes. At best? The Giants might’ve just landed a steal in free agency. Either way, Banks is officially on notice.