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So far, new Giants head coach Joe Judge has proven to be a man of his word.

He vowed to get to know his personnel before rendering any opinions. That’s admirable.

He also vowed to take his time in vetting his assistant staff so he could find the right guys—teachers—to help get the most out of the players. Based on how his staff is taking shape, that’s well on the way to happening as well.

He also said in his introductory press conference that he was all about putting players in the best position to optimize their strengths and minimize their weaknesses.

We’re still at least four months before we see if that promise comes to fruition, but if you’re a Giants cornerback and you heard that promise, you probably had to be on your feet cheering your heart out.

All too often last year, the Giants cornerbacks weren’t necessarily put into the best possible position to succeed. That problem was exacerbated when, instead of breaking in the rookies by allowing them to do more of what they were comfortable and fitting that into the game plan, the coaches instead asked them to play scheme-specific responsibilities that weren’t necessarily a fit for their respective talents.

That should change this year.

Let’s start with what there is to like. DeAndre Baker, who had all the pressure in the world on his shoulders after the Giants traded up into the first round to get him, finally came around toward the end of the season, proving to the critics that reports of him being a first-round bust were premature.

What those who were screaming loudest about Baker earlier in the year when he struggled conveniently forgot is that the young man missed a large chunk of the preseason with a knee injury. Whereas a veteran might be able to overcome such a setback, a rookie, whose challenge includes getting the game to slow down, can struggle.

Toss in the defensive coordinator’s insistence on playing zone and the frequent miscommunications that came almost every week, and it started to get ugly out there. But Baker has a steel-like resolve. 

He stayed the course, and by year’s end, he was unquestionably showing signs of playing like a first-round draft pick. With that said, Baker still needs some work in gaining a better feel playing zone; hopefully, better coaching leading to a reduction in confusion out there as to who is supposed to cover who will help.

After Janoris Jenkins was sent packing, the starting job went to second-year man Sam Beal, who returned from injured reserve midway through the year. There is a lot to like about Beal, a strongside cornerback who certainly doesn’t lack for confidence.

Beal has long speed and the size that makes him a good fit for covering the boundary and is not afraid to get physical out there. Like Baker, he also looked confused in zone coverage, but again, hopefully, improved coaching and experience will smooth out that rough spot.

However, his durability is a concern, given his physical style of play. He suffered a neck injury in Week 16 that cost him the regular-season finale.

Until he shows otherwise, it’s fair to question if Beal is durable enough to be counted on for a full season. Thus far, he hasn’t shown that, and that could be a problem down the line if the Giants are counting on him being there only to find out that yet again, he’d have to miss large chunks of time.

Corey Ballentine had the most significant jump of any of his contemporaries, going from a small school program at Washburn to the NFL, but he handled it with aplomb. Ballentine showed he has the size and speed to stay with wideouts, and he wasn’t afraid to get physical out there.

Ballentine was asked to take a fair amount of snaps in the slot, a position that didn’t look like a good fit for him. In reality, asking a rookie, let alone one from a smaller program, to take on the demands of that slot cornerback position is a big leap of faith. The hope was that Ballentine would grow into the job, and while he had some moments, he also had moments where he was overmatched (again, where was the coaching to help fix the problems?)

With that said, what Ballentine did show that was encouraging was an ability to forget about the previous play and focus on the next, showing a mental fortitude that is going to serve him well at this level.

The best thing this coaching staff can do is to give Ballentine more snaps on the outside, perhaps even rotating him with Beal, which should help limit the pounding that has forced Beal to miss time with injuries.

Speaking of slot corners, Grant Haley began the season in that role but ultimately was removed by the coaches in favor of Ballentine after opponents regularly exposed his lack of footspeed and change-of-direction ability. Haley is a solid tackler and a smart kid out there who knows what to do, but his lack of physical attributes is a dilemma.

Last but not least, cornerback Antonio Hamilton, who rotated with Baker at the start of the season while the rookie got up to speed, is a solid special teams player. However, as a cornerback, he didn’t show the instincts, technique, and confidence to become a mainstay on the outside.

While a team can never have too many good special teams players, with a new crop of young, hungry rookies on its way to the Giants, Hamilton, an unrestricted free agent, isn’t necessarily a lock to be back.

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Where Do They Go From Here?

Although the “pups,” as Dave Gettleman has affectionately referred to the group of young corners all have a year or two under their respective belts, they’re still quite a long way from being a seasoned group.

The Giants’ hiring of Jerome Henderson as the defensive backs coach is a good start. Henderson is a former NFL defensive back, and the perspectives he can bring to this young group of corners should be invaluable. (If you recall, two years ago, the Giants had former NFL defensive back Deshea Townsend on the coaching staff, and that cornerback group just seemed to have a lot fewer issues in coverage.)

Besides Henderson, who, while an NFL alumnus, did play the game in a different generation, this off-season the Giants must add a reliable veteran.

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The Bottom Line

The Giants are loaded with potential at the cornerback group, but while that’s a promising thing, it’s also scary if that potential isn’t properly harvested. It, unfortunately, wasn’t being property developed to its fullest ability last year, so the change in coaching staff should help. But it’s also up to the players to take full advantage of the opportunities before them.