New York Giants 2025 Training Camp Preview: CB Deonte Banks

Deonte Banks is looking to have a bounce back season after a shaky 2024 campaign.

New York Giants cornerback Deonte Banks (3) walks out of the tunnel prior to the start of the game between the New York Giants and the Washington Commanders at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford on Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024. | Julian Leshay Guadalupe/NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

With all the hype over the New York Giants signing Paulson Adebo and Jevon Holland to play in the secondary, it gets lost that Deonte Banks, the team's 2023 first-round pick, is going into his third season, looking to take the next step in his development and growth. 

After his rookie year, many were convinced that the Giants had their CB1 for the next 10 seasons. In 2024, the conversation changed, and many people felt like Banks was just another defensive back on the roster. 

It was a stark contrast from one season to the next. What nobody discussed or seemed to consider in their criticism of the 24-year-old cornerback out of Maryland is that when the Giants did not re-sign Xavier McKinney, it didn’t only hurt the safety position on the team. It also took away a young, impressionable cornerback's mentor. 

It could very well be that Banks was not ready to fly alone in 2024. But now, after working through adversity and learning to stand on his own, he could return to the promise he showed in 2023, which we only saw in spurts during last season's difficult year. 

Over his two-year career, he has shown a willingness to make tackles when needed. He has 116 total tackles, and an impressive 92 are solo. He has also demonstrated that he can be sticky in coverage and has his hands on passes. 

He has 23 passes defended in 29 games that he has played in. He has the physical tools to be a quality starter for a long time. Let's hope that the mental part of the game is still growing and that he takes the next step this season. 

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Deonte Banks, CB

• Height: 6-2
• Weight: 200  lbs.
• Exp.: 3 years
• School: Maryland
• How Acquired: D1-'23

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2024 in Review

In 2024, Banks changed his number to 3 from 25, which he wore in his rookie season. He may want to consider changing it back. The beginning of the year started rough, as Banks had some mental lapses and had his desire questioned. 

He gave up some big plays. Afterward, he leveled off and found his stride. Later in the season, he spent three games inactive due to injuries. He returned for the season's final three games and closed out the year well. 

In 14 games, he failed to produce an interception despite defending 12 passes. He still managed to make 52 tackles, 39 solo tackles, and one tackle for a loss. He also forced one fumble. 

Contract/Cap Info

Banks signed a four-year, fully guaranteed $13.5 million contract with the Giants in 2023. That included a $6.8 million signing bonus and an average salary of $3.4 million. 

In 2025, Banks will make nearly $2 million while carrying a cap hit of $3.7 million and a dead cap value of $8 million. After this season, the Giants will need to decide if they want to exercise their fifth-year club option, which would pay him significantly more based on the top cornerbacks in the league. 

2025 Preview

Clearly, Banks will be on the final roster, and unless something remarkable or unfortunate happens, he will be in the starting lineup. Even with the new additions defensively, it should not affect his job. 

Mark your calendars and write these words down: 2025 will be a tremendous bounce-back season for Banks. With the addition of Adebo and Holland, Banks will no longer be seen as the savior in the secondary, which will allow him to play with more freedom than we saw in 2024 when they seemed to turn the responsibilities of being the leader in the secondary over to him.

With Adebo likely guarding the top receiver on the other team, it will allow Banks to play against the number two guy. Banks also has a full season under his belt in Shane Bowen's defensive system, which should help him feel more comfortable playing off-man and zone coverage and understanding where he should funnel receivers to and, hopefully, how to get his hands on more football.

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