Giants’ bizarre Deonte Banks loyalty could spark Chiefs

"Was it comedy or tragedy?
Both, I would suppose
High highs and low lows" -Stephen Kellogg, "High Highs and Low Lows"

Singer-songwriter Stephen Kellogg's gift of a song quoted above, from his album Objects in the Mirror, is a reflective turn, an artist looking back at the live he's lived and coming to terms with where he's at. But in a different way, he's also given the New York Giants the right words to describe the Deonte Banks experience.

The Giants traded up to draft Banks in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft, flipping future fifth- and sixth-round choices to the Jacksonville Jaguars for the chance to move up one spot and take the Maryland cornerback. Banks responded with a middling season, with 2 interceptions in 15 games. The hope was that Banks could build on the experience and grow into the team's top corners.

Brian Daboll's commitment to Deonte Banks could pay dividends for the Chiefs' passing attack.

Those dreams came crashing down in 2024, when Banks allowed a passer rating of 124.7 passer rating with 6 touchdowns and zero interceptions. His effort was questioned at multiple points during the season, and the Giants replaced both of his positional coaches following the season.

Paulson Adebo has been brought in to anchor the secondary, which relegated Banks to CB2 at best. But he's been outplayed by Cor'Dale Flott, which should limit his demands even more. Except, for some reason, Giants head coach Brian Daboll insists on rolling with the same committee approach on the boundary that he used in the offseason.

Flott and Banks have split time in the first two games with disparate results, with Flott looking like the more effective choice. Perhaps it's the investment in Banks that keeps him afloat, but despite the lack of an obvious explanation, Daboll says both will split time again when the team hosts the Kansas CIty Chiefs at MetLife in Week 3.

Banks had an absolutely miserable game against the Dallas Cowboys last week—as did the entire Giants' defense—with a 39.1 Pro Football Focus grade and two missed tackles.

If the Chiefs are going to get the passing attack going, aided by the return of Xavier Worthy to the field after suffering a torn labrum in Week 1, the Giants' decision to roll out Banks in a role he's ill-equipped to handle could break things open. That'd be a welcome sight for a fan base waiting for even a faint echo of fireworks past with Patrick Mahomes at the helm.