The New York Giants invested $54 million over three years in Paulson Adebo to solidify a shaky cornerback room that regressed in 2024. The primary cause of regression was the inability of 2023 first-round pick Tae Banks to meet expectations.
After showing promise in his rookie season, Banks was benched last season and was openly criticized by position coach Jerome Henderson for his lack of effort — a criticism that deserved public acknowledgment.
Banks allowed an impressively low 57.6% completion rate in 2023 with two interceptions and six passes batted down. His trajectory was ascending but he took a step back in 2024, allowing a 67.1% catch rate with no interceptions, but he did make eight plays on the football.
Honestly, Banks surrendered catches and six touchdowns, but many were in tight coverage; it wasn’t as if Banks was getting toasted, rather his struggles with locating the football at the catch point were exploited by top-notch receivers in the league.
Still, six touchdowns was tied for the most in the NFL last season. In those tight-window situations, quarterbacks posted a 139.7 passer rating when targeting him. Banks is in phase, but he’s poor at locating the football while in good coverage.
The Justin Jefferson, Amari Cooper (first one), and Terry McLaurin (first one) touchdowns were all tight window throws with solid coverage. As the season progressed, Banks began to guess more and seemed less confident in his technique. The struggles could be attributed to something mental, but that’s conjecture on my end.
The addition of Adebo takes a burden off Banks’ shoulders, and now the former New Orleans Saints corner can assume number one responsibilities as the 23-year-old Banks attempts to salvage his career path under new Giants’ secondary coach Marquand Manuel.
The biggest question for the Giants’ cornerback room is Tae Banks. If Banks can put 2024 behind him and show positive development, it would be a huge win not just for the Giants but for Joe Schoen and his track record on first-round picks.
Other questions
Cor’Dale Flott’s impact
Cor’Dale Flott is entering a contract year after a somewhat slow start to his career, which was to be expected. Flott is only 23 years old and was historically thin for his 6-foot-1 frame when the Giants selected him in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft.
Flott played better down the stretch of the 2024 season and has flashed throughout his career, albeit the flashes are dim. The question is — Can Flott take a step forward independent of Banks’ success, but especially if Banks fails? Can Flott be relied on?
Also, can Flott man the nickel role if something happens to Dru Phillips, who had a solid rookie season? Flott is in the interesting spot of possibly being the direct backup to Adebo, Banks, and Phillips at the nickel. And behind Flott, there is little proven talent, so Flott — although not starting — is in a unique spot to play a crucial role at the position.
Can someone step up?
The Giants are thin in their secondary with young and unproven players. Adebo is a proven starter in the NFL, but is not currently thought of as a true number one cornerback. Still, everyone behind Adebo (and Dru Phillips at the nickel) is very unproven, with limited consistency ever established.
Tre Hawkins III and rookie Korie Black are two younger players who may receive an opportunity for snaps; the former broke the Giants’ 13-game interception drought last year before he fractured a part of his lumbar spine, rendering him to the injured reserve for the rest of the season.
Dee Williams, Nic Jones, T.J. Moore, Art Green, and O’Donnell Fortune are also on the roster, and there could realistically be a spot for one or two of them, depending on what happens in training camp; they’re all players with two or fewer years of experience.
Special teams is the expectation specifically for a player like Korie Black, but he’ll receive an opportunity to showcase his unique athletic traits and size throughout training camp. Perhaps he’s more than just a special-teams asset.
Paulson Adebo No. 1?
Adebo played seven games before he broke his femur in 2024. He has ten career interceptions in 52 career games (51 started) with 43 passes defended. In his last healthy season of 2023, Adebo assembled an elite 76 tackles, four interceptions, and 18 passes defended, with a 56.8% catch rate; the 18 passes defended ranked third in the NFL.
Adebo allowed just a 59.6% catch rate in 2024 before his injury. Adebo is guilty of using his hands way too frequently. He has a total of 35 penalties and had nine in just seven games last season.
Adebo has the makeup to be a solid number one cornerback. He possesses the size and athletic ability; he can play man-to-man or zone defense and has impressive ball-hawking instincts, with the ability to flip his hips and control his movements well. Still, it remains a question.
Dru Phillips development
Dru Phillips had an excellent rookie season and outplayed his third-round draft selection. Phillips was one of just eight cornerbacks to rank in the top 25 in PFF coverage grade (75.8) and PFF run-defense grade (78.1) in 2024 and one of just three (Cooper DeJean and Kyler Gordon) to do it playing primarily as the nickel defender.
Being a solid nickel run defender is imperative because it allows the defensive coordinator to feel comfortable using nickel in run situations or against certain heavier personnel packages. Not only was he sticky and annoying in coverage, but his ability to fit the run and operate the line of scrimmage on quick screens really stood out in his rookie campaign.
Furthermore, Phillips underwent LASIK eye surgery to help improve his vision. He said it was “one of the best decisions I’ve made.” With better vision, one would imagine he can leverage his already quick diagnosing skills and make them just a tick faster — that can help him reach his apotheosis.
