5 significant questions for the NY Giants cornerbacks this season

When you look at the overall defense for the NY Giants, there's a lot of potential surrounding it. There are also a lot of question marks as well. Many consider the Giants defensive line as the strength of the defense given the amount of pressure and havoc it can cause on a weekly basis. If there is a weakness on the defense, many would likely consider it to be the secondary with the cornerbacks.

A lot of the cause for concern from last year heading into this year was due to injuries suffered in 2022 to a lot of key players, which forced the Giants to start players who wouldn't normally play. But with players being out, it did give others a chance to play and show what they could do.

The Giants defense allowed 371 points in 2022, which averaged out to around 21.6 points per game. The Giants didn't have many games where they were surrendering 30-40 points per game unlike the previous year when it was a common theme.

However, even with that improvement on not surrendering as many points, the cornerback position was one many felt the Giants needed to address in the 2023 NFL Draft. So, with training camp around the corner, what causes for concern are there around the cornerback position?

5. Will Deonte Banks be as good as advertised?

Many felt the Giants would potentially take a wide receiver in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft, but when several wide receivers went off the board when they were waiting to pick, the Giants pivoted and traded up to take Deonte Banks at No. 24 overall.

Many were extremely happy with this selection since he's seen as a possible No. 1 cornerback in the making and might even be a Week 1 starter when the team breaks from camp into the regular season.

But with any rookie, can they always live up to the hype? Given the Giants recent selections of cornerbacks in the first round, they are hoping Banks can live up to being the player everyone saw in college and not become the players that Eli Apple and DeAndre Baker were when they played for the Giants.

Given Wink Martindale's reaction on the night of the NFL Draft when the Giants got Banks, there was likely a reason for it and he's excited to plug in a rookie who could shine on a defense that can use the help in stopping the receivers in the NFC East.

4. Can Tre Hawkins step in and contribute?

We've all heard the hype of the one rookie cornerback for the Giants with Banks since he was their first-round pick. But what about the other rookie corner from the 2023 NFL Draft? Because cornerback was such a position of need from a year ago, the Giants took two corners in the draft. Aside from Banks, they also selected Tre Hawkins in the sixth round out of Old Dominion.

Hawkins has the size at 6-3 - he's a very physical player ready to make hits and tackles and he has the speed, as he ran a 4.4 40-yard time. On paper, Hawkins will likely be a backup to either Adoree' Jackson or Banks on the depth chart. Being a late-round rookie pick, he'll have to earn his spot on the depth chart.

At worst, Hawkins could be a potential special teams player for the Giants if he doesn't get used in the secondary rotation. But given the lack of depth the Giants encountered and with the injuries that happened a year ago, Hawkins could find opportunities to play if he is able to impress.

3. Can Cor'Dale Flott improve in Year 2?

Aside from having two rookies at the cornerback position, the Giants also have a second-year player in Cor'Dale Flott. Flott was a third-round pick of the Giants from the 2022 NFL Draft, appearing in 11 games and starting in six for them. He made 26 total tackles with two pass deflections and one forced fumble in his rookie season.

Flott should expect to see more snaps on defense from his rookie year. He only missed four tackles and graded out overall with a 65.8 grade by Pro Football Focus and had a 70.7 grade for coverage. More experience and reps in coverage and on defense should help Flott.

If the Giants end up cutting Darnay Holmes (more on that coming later in this piece), then Flott will be looked at to step in for him. Flott has a ton of potential and he showcased flashes of brilliance last year. We can't wait to see what he gets done in 2023.

2. Does Darnay Holmes make the final 53-man roster?

When free agency first started and roster cuts were being made, Darnay Holmes was always looked at as a possible salary cap casualty. If Holmes had been cut, he would count for $197,000 in a dead cap hit and save almost $2.7 million in cap space, which given the Giants lack of cap space at times, made sense.

The Giants added a lot of depth at the position in the offseason in both free agency and in the 2023 NFL Draft, so if the Giants wanted to get some space back to make other moves, Holmes being cut made sense.

Holmes struggled for the Giants in 2022, so him being a lock to make the team in 2023 is no sure guarantee. With additions like Banks and Hawkins in the draft and the free agency signing of Amani Oruwariye, Holmes' spot in the cornerback rotation isn't guaranteed.

With the Giants at $4.14 million in current salary cap space, according to the NFL PA Salary Cap report, the Giants will still likely need some cap space to operate. WIth Saquon Barkley not getting a new deal and without Leonard Williams or Jackson' being extended, the Giants may need to make a few roster cuts eventually to get some space back and one of those moves could end up being Holmes if he doesn't impress over the summer.

1. What does the future hold for Adoree' Jackson?

Speaking of Jackson, he is currently entering the final year of the three-year, $39 million deal he signed with the Giants before the 2021 season.

Jackson has been the Giants best corner since being signed as a free agent. He did miss seven games for them last season due to injuries and his absence was felt during that time when he was out and the Giants were spread very thin when it came to their corner position.

Jackson was one of several players many felt would be a possible extension candidate when the offseason began since he currently owns a $19 million cap hit, but the Giants have not done anything with his contract and have left it as is.

Whether the Giants do anything with Jackson's contract in the summer or not remains to be seen since they are near the bottom of the league for teams with cap space. The Giants could always decide to let Jackson play out his deal and figure it out with him after the season. Or, the Giants could decide to simply let him play out his deal and let him walk in free agency.

READ MORE: 5 biggest losers from the Giants and Saquon Barkley not agreeing to an extension