Giants’ Brian Daboll finally pulls the plug, benches Deonte Banks

Last week against the Philadelphia Eagles, New York Giants second-year cornerback Deonte Banks displayed a lack of hustle when chasing down Eagles’ quarterback Jalen Hurts.

By admission, Banks gave up on the play, saying he could have made the tackle but chose not to. It was an incident worth some type of discipline but Banks ended up starting Monday’s game against the Steelers in Pittsburgh.

After a missed tackle on Steelers running back Najee Harris right before halftime, Daboll had seen enough. An exchange occurred on the sidelines afterward in which the coach told Banks that he was being replaced by Greg Stroman, a player the Giants recently elevated from the practice squad.

Brian Daboll on why he benched Deonte Banks pic.twitter.com/urLWeGtaOr

— Talkin’ Giants (@TalkinGiants) October 29, 2024

Banks said after the game he was uncertain why he was lifted from the game in the second half.

“I think he said it was missed tackles, I guess,’” Banks said, via the New York Post. “He really didn’t tell me what was going on, he just said stay ready I guess… I didn’t really think I was playing bad, but it’s not my choice.”

Banks has been called out not once, but twice, for his lax approach on some plays. Against Dallas this season, Banks seemed to give less than required on a long reception by Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb, which went for a 55-yard touchdown.

Position coach Jerome Henderson called out Banks on the sideline afterward the Giants lost the game by five points.

No word on the future status at cornerback, but Banks is a former first-round pick and the Giants are building their secondary around him. If he cannot provide the leadership needed for that to happen, it is just another log to throw on this growing dumpster fire of a team.