One of the biggest questions surrounding the NY Giants this offseason has surrounded who will be starting at corner on the outside alongside Deonte Banks. There are plenty of solid options on the depth chart, but one player has stood out more than the rest in terms of experience, skill, and ceiling as a player. That'd be Cor'Dale Flott.
Flott has not only caught the attention of fans over the last two seasons, but even the Giants' coaching staff has started to praise his level of play. Most notably, New York's defensive backs coach, Jerome Henderson, said Flott would be starting alongside Banks if the season were to start today.
Flott is a third-year corner, who has shown plenty of potential and is best fit to start in 2024 compared to his competition. While there's still a while to go until the new season, getting this sort of praise from Patterson is a big step in the right direction.
Cor'Dale Flott is expected to be the NY Giants CB2 in 2024
Both Patterson and head coach Brian Daboll have had no shortage of praise for Flott throughout the early stages of the offseason program. Not only did Patterson say Flott would start if the season were to start today, but Daboll stated that he had a lot of confidence in the 22-year-old DB as well.
#Giants would start Deonte Banks and Cor’Dale Flott at cornerback if season started today, Jerome Henderson said.
— Ryan Dunleavy (@rydunleavy) May 23, 2024
Flott has ‘been tremendous’ and they are pushing each other
This is a lot of praise and pressure for a third-round pick, but Flott has shown enough through two seasons to be cautiously optimistic about him starting. For example, in a Week 18 matchup against the Eagles in 2022, while matched up primarily against star receiver A.J. Brown, Flott allowed just three receptions on seven targets for 29 yards.
Even outside of this singular game, Flott was solid throughout 2023 despite playing in the slot, a position that does not fully utilize his skills. During this time, he allowed 40 receptions on 62 targets for 452 yards, three touchdowns, and he also posted an interception.
If he can stay healthy, Flott can be a very valuable asset to the Giants for the 2024 season. He and Banks have the chance to form an incredibly solid young duo in the secondary. Considering how weak this unit is for the Giants on paper, a breakout year from Flott could help boost fans' confidence in the defense.