Joe Schon started rattling off names of draft picks and big money investments.
Dexter Lawrence, Brian Burns, Kayvon Thibodeau, and at least four rookies, Malik Nabors, Tyler Nubin, Theo Johnson, and Tyrone Tracy Jr., are all cornerstone players for the Giants in Shane's eyes. is. He said Wandale Robinson and Cordale Flott have played key roles.
But what about Deonte Banks?
Was it a simple mistake on the part of the general manager to not select a first-round draft pick in 2023?
In the end, Andrew Thomas and Drew Phillips weren't even on the list.
Or maybe Banks' demoralizing second year — two plays where his efforts were questioned by coaches, a third time when his performance warranted being benched for a game, and a third when he was recognized for coverage. Has he changed the way the Giants view him?
“We're not going to give up on Tae,” Schoen said Tuesday during his customary bye-week team report speech. “He's working hard. He wants it. And I still believe he has a bright future.”
Defensive backs coach Jerome said the 23-year-old Banks was off the pace about 20 yards from the end zone in Week 4 against Cowboys receiver CeeDee Lamb because he was a “hard play.” Coach Shane seemed willing to forgive, even though Henderson and Banks themselves admitted they could. I tried harder to get tackles.
An even more egregious mistake was when Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts avoided a scramble on the sideline in Week 7.
“Tae isn’t the only one who wants to play back, there are others,” Shane said. “But we haven't given up on Tae. He has the physical attributes. He has shown ability to match other teams' top receivers. And corner is a difficult position to play. There are balls that can get caught. And he was in very good positions in some games.
Yes, in fact, one of Banks' issues was ball recognition when the throws fell into a tight window against him. The quarterback has a pass rating of 139.7 with 50 passes targeting the Maryland product.
According to ESPN's Football Power Index, the Giants (2-8) have the best chance of acquiring the No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft (17.3 percent chance). The players ranked highest by many draft analyst panels are Michigan cornerback Will Johnson and Colorado two-way cornerback/receiver Travis Hunter, while Notre Dame cornerback Benjamin -Morrison was near the top before his injury.
Schoen has expressed confidence in his job security and may prioritize drafting a quarterback.
But if the Giants win enough late in the standings to move down the standings and another of the NFL's 11 currently 2- and 3-win teams takes a top quarterback, a new first-round cornerback That could drop Banks to second place. Although he is a rookie, he has shown promise in the role of cornerback.
“A year ago, I was playing well. [but we] We changed our plans,” Shane said. “We are the youngest defenseman in the league.”
One of the basic principles of the draft that Coach Schoen often cites is not to select players to fit a particular scheme due to the possibility of a coaching change, and Banks, under coordinator Shane Bowen, will play against Pressman. It is a concern that he is not playing as well as he did during the man coverage. Wink Martindale.
Managers have already expressed enthusiasm for cornerback Emmanuel Forbes, who was drafted eight spots ahead of Banks. The Steelers have their own problem with cornerback Joey Porter Jr. (drafted with the sixth pick after Banks) being too handy for officials' liking.
“No one would be more strict than this.” [evaluating] I’m more responsible for the decision-making process or me,” Shane said. “It keeps me up at night…but I can't undo it. These decisions aren't quick fixes and can have repercussions either way. So, again… However, I have great confidence in my staff, our process, and where we are headed.”
Mr. Shane's dedication to Mr. Banks is noteworthy. That's because he has shown a willingness to sign to potential draft boards.
The Giants relegated 2022 first-round pick Evan Neal (No. 7 overall, Banks No. 24 in 2023) to the bench for the first nine games, but he had two down seasons and lingering legs. It was the time when he was recovering from an injury. Training camp. After Thomas' injury, Jermaine Elemunor was allowed to win at right tackle before Neal had a chance.
“A premium draft pick like that is always going to want to hit 1.000 batters,” Schoen said.
