HC Brian Daboll reveals where struggling former Giants first rounder stands on New York's roster

New York Giants defensive back Deonte Banks has not lived up to expectations as a former first-round pick. The 2023 Giants draft selection had a promising start to his career, but entered the 2025 season in a position battle with Cor'Dale Flott.

We have yet to get a defined winner in the battle, as the Giants have rotated both players depending on specific situations. When head coach Brian Daboll was asked about it today by the media, he had yet to provide clarity.

"I think it just depends on what we want to do for that particular week," Daboll told reporters, "but I think they've both earned playing time with some of the things they've done, and they'll both need to help us."

Comparing Deonte Banks and Cor'Dale Flott

Through the first two games, Banks and Flott have shared reps at outside corner. While both have played, there's been a stark difference in their performance. Flott has improved each week since his dominant preseason, while Banks seems to make the same mistakes. Today, Daboll stated he feels both guys are playing well.

"Banks got some more reps last week," stated Daboll, "I thought he did some good things. I think Flott's playing good. We'll just do what we think we need to do for each game."

Daboll continued by stating the rotation is based on specific circumstances and opponents. In reality, it feels as though they're desperate to get some return on their investment.

"Last week, the rotation of it was a little bit different than it was the week before, relative to third downs and things like that. We'll continue to play both of those guys and keep improving both of those guys."

Through two games, the difference between their performances is stark. Per Pro Football Focus, Banks is the lowest graded coverage player at 41.1, while Banks is the best on the Giants roster at 82.8. Additionally, Flott has played significantly more with 109 snaps compared to Banks' 41.

There isn't enough context to show how Banks has performed when targeted because he's been on the field so little compared to Flott. He's only been targeted once this year, but it produced this head-scratching lowlight.