Henderson is taking Banks’ difficulties personally
The New York Giants, fearful of being jumped, traded up one spot to select Deonte Banks No. 24 overall in the 2023 NFL Draft. That means they have high expectations for, and a lot invested in, the cornerback.
His struggles this season — being overmatched at times as the team’s No. 1 cornerback, twice having lapses where his effort obviously wasn’t good enough, being benched Monday against the Pittsburgh Steelers — hurt the team and reflect on everyone who was involved in making him a Giant.
No one takes that harder, or takes it to heart more, than veteran defensive backs coach Jerome Henderson. A one-time NFL defensive back and 18-year coaching veteran in his fifth year with the Giants, Henderson spoke Friday about how “invested” he is in helping Banks succeed.
“We have great expectations obviously for Tae. We drafted him in the first round. I personally went to visit him, spent time with him, came back here, talked to Joe [Schoen], talked to Dabs [Brian Daboll] and thought that he and I would do well together. I’m as invested in him doing well as anybody.”
During Henderson’s media session on Friday, which you can view in full at the bottom of this post, it was obvious how personally Henderson has taken Banks’ struggles.
“I raised my hand and said, yes, draft him, I want him, I love him. When that happened to him, it happened to me as well. We’re tied at the hip, he and I. It wasn’t good enough by him, and for that reason wasn’t good enough by me,” Henderson said.
“Such high expectations for the young man, and consistently pushing him to reach those expectations we have and where we drafted him, and what we all think of him.
“It’s my job again to get him to understand the importance of his draft position, our expectations of him, what he can provide for this team and and it’s he and I got to get it done.”
Why did the Giants pull Banks from Monday’s game?
“Just didn’t feel he has consistently played up the expectations the organization has for him,” Henderson said. “Wanted to really get his attention that we expect more.
“The thing is he’s played really well in spurts but what e has to understand and what I know is there’s 64 plays in a game. Let’s say there are 58 of them where you do a great job nobody notices but there’s those other six or seven where now that’s all you’re judged on, those plays when the ball is at me and I have an opportunity to make a play. Want to see him in those moments be brighter, be bigger. That’s why we drafted him.
“That’s what I know he has in him and I want him to do it consistently and at a high level all the time, and he has it in him to do it and it’s my job to get it out of him.”
Why wasn’t Banks benched vs. the Eagles?
“When you look at the Philly game (when Banks pulled up rather than hustle to takcle a scrambling Jalen Hurts) we had lost corners early … we were already rotating guys at the other corner position just because of injuries,” Henderson said.
Reasons for benching vs. Pittsburgh
There did not appear to be a single play against the Steelers that led to Banks being pulled from the game. Henderson confirmed it was an accumulation of things.
“There were multiple things and multiple reasons, and at the end of it again, we expect more. And I expect more from me, too. It’s not just him,” Henderson said. “My hope is that he and I look back at this moment one day in the future and see the growth that came from it and where he goes after this point because of taking something away from him.”
The Pickens touchdown wasn’t the cause
Star defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence was upset Monday after a near-touchdown by Pittsburgh’s George Pickens, who was knocked out of the end zone at the last second by Banks. Henderson said that play did not lead to the decision to remove Banks from the game.
“That wasn’t Tae’s man,” Henderson said. “He was actually making a bonus play that actually saved us a touchdown, so that wasn’t the reason for pulling him. That was actually a really good play because that wasn’t his man. He fell off coverage to go help and just reacted and became an athlete and made a really good play.”
Why did he start vs. the Steelers?
The Giants could have chosen to bench Banks at the start of the Monday night game as a consequence for the Hurts play. They did not.
“We’re going into that Pittsburgh game thinking we’re going to give the New York Giants the best chance to win,” Henderson said. “We thought Tae being on the field to start the game gives us the best chance.”
Why is he still starting?
“Because we think he gives us the best chance to win,” Henderson said. “Otherwise, why would we not start him? … Hopefully, he got the message from the Pittsburgh game, and we’ve moved on. We’re going to give him a chance to go out and show the player that he is.”
Is Banks getting the message?
Henderson can’t be sure the 23-year-old Banks is comprehending the lesson the Giants are trying to impart.
“We’ll see. I hope he doe,” Henderson said. “We’re going to try our our best this week to to go out and play our best game. All of us are going to try to do that and hopefully this is the week where we do that.
“We’re going to ask him to step up and be big for us.”
