There was plenty of excitement in East Rutherford on Friday night, as the NY Giants were able to escape with a close 21-19 win over the Carolina Panthers at MetLife Stadium. While the offense put on a show, with Darren Waller and Daniel Jones looking superb, there's a change on defense we need to talk about.
During recent practices, we've seen Adoree' Jackson move from an outside cornerback spot to slot CB. With this, rookies Deonte Banks and Tre Hawkins III have been with the 1s outside. This was how defensive coordinator Wink Martindale sent the guys out to start vs. Carolina.
Both Hawkins and Banks have been playing beyond their years and Martindale clearly has a ton of confidence in them. With that said, it's feeling more and more likely that Martindale and Brian Daboll both feel confident enough in potentially leaving Jackson on the inside for when the Cowboys come to town:
So it seems like it's going to be:
— Giants Daily (@NYGDaily) August 18, 2023
CB: Deonte Banks
CB: Tre Hawkins
SLOT: Adoree Jackson#Giants starting two rookies at CB.
The Giants have trust in Deonte Banks and Tre Hawkins working together
Had you told us two months ago this would have been the plan for the cornerbacks moving forward, we would have been in a bit of panic mode. However, Hawkins, a sixth-round pick, has looked fantastic in both preseason games.
Banks has had his ups and downs, but the No. 24 overall pick has also been strong. With Jackson moving to slot CB, this just goes to show that he's also willing to do whatever is needed to help the defense out - he's a baller.
Martindale has consistently said that the best guys are going to play. If this means that some positions are going to have to be shifted around a bit, then so be it. With this movement, it's also going to have more people talking about Darnay Holmes potentially being released this summer. Soon enough, we'll find out what the final decision will be there.
READ MORE: Darren Waller put on a show for the Giants against the Panthers