Cor'Dale Flott Eyes Bigger Role in NY Giants Defense

If New York Giants cornerback Cor’Dale Flott had his druthers, the starting job opposite of CB1 Paulson Adebo would be his and his alone.

But unfortunately, that’s not been the case for the fourth-year cornerback, who has had to split reps with Deonte Banks, the team’s first-round pick in 2023.

The split is partly due to both players failing to seize the role this past summer, primarily because of the time they missed due to injury. Additionally, it may be because the Giants wanted to gather more data on Banks before deciding on his option year after this season.

Flott, the Giants' third-round pick in 2022 from LSU, is taking it day by day, handling first and second downs for the Giants before usually giving way to Banks on third downs.

While he admits it’s been a challenge to rotate, he’s just doing what’s asked of him.

“I just focus on when I am out there and the plays that I can make,” he told New York Giants On SI. “I don't really look at when I'm not out there or what it could be if I did have more plays. I just do what I can with the plays I have.”

What Flott has done with the plays he’s had is make the most of them. Through 74 snaps in two games, he’s allowed a 57.1% completion rate on pass targets against him and has forced three incompletions while also posting three pass breakups to lead his fellow cornerbacks, according to Pro Football Focus.

Banks, meanwhile, has been targeted just once and has surrendered the catch. He is also the only one of the team’s cornerbacks yet to post a forced incompletion or break up a pass in his 32 coverage snaps through two games.

Flott's 82.8 coverage grade is, in fact, the best of the Giants' four cornerbacks, while Banks’s 41.1 grade is the worst.

“Just playing fast and understanding the game, my IQ level, and watching film and tape on guys and just understanding how they want to attack the defense,” Flott said when asked where his game has taken its biggest jump.”

He also said he has a much better understanding of the defense run by Shane Bowen, which is now in its second season in New York.

“I think Flott’s playing well. We’ll just do what we think we need to do for each game,” head coach Brian Daboll said, also adding that Banks has “done some things” that have helped the team.

“I think they’ve both earned playing time with some of the things they’ve done, and they’ll both need to help us,” he added.

Flott said there are no hard feelings between him and Banks.

“It's cool. It's a brotherhood for me and him,” Flott said. “We've been playing together for like, what, three years now. And so we grow together–it's like family too.

“So when he is out there, I'm rooting for him. When I'm out there, he roots for me. So we are just working together and wanna make plays.”

Still, Flott, who throughout his Giants tenure has dealt with injuries costing him valuable playing and practice time, remains motivated to convince the coaches that he can handle the CB2 role full-time.

“It motivates me,” he said of the rotation and his ongoing quest in this, his contract year, to earn a second deal with the team that drafted him.

“It helps me compete, too. You know, when I'm out there, I prove myself every time–it helps me have that energy, helps me have that swagger, that confidence to show the world like,’ Hey, this ain't that, and I'm that guy, that corner.’ So that's just how I play.”

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