New York Giants second-year cornerback Deonte Banks will be back in the lineup this week against the Washington Commanders after getting benched at halftime on Monday night in Pittsburgh.
Banks was once again cited for substandard effort by the coaching staff who made a decision to replace the 2023 first-round pick with Greg Stroman for the remainder of the game.
“I think he’ll be ready to go,” head coach Brian Daboll said this week.
“Obviously, a tough challenge with No. 17 (Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin) over there who’s done a great job. He’ll have a good week here.”
Giants defensive backfield coach Jerome Henderson told reporters on Friday that he thinks Banks has “hopefully gotten the message” from the benching.
“Because we think he gives us the best chance to win,” Henderson said when asked why the Giants are going back to Banks this week, via NJ Advance Media.
“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.”
Banks will be charged with traveling with McLaurin again this week. He got the better of the Washington star in the first meeting, holding him to 22 yards on six receptions.
There was no clear-cut reason what the last straw was that led to Banks’ benching. Was it the George Pickens play in the end zone that Dexter Lawrence was critical about? Or perhaps the play where Najee Harris hurdled Banks?
It appears to have been a series of events going back weeks. Henderson had seen enough and decided to make a change.
“Just didn’t feel he was — or he has — consistently played up to the expectations the organization has for him, drafting him where he is. So wanted to really get his attention (with the benching), that we expect more,” he said.
“I 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. I want him to do it consistently and at a high level all the time. He has it in him to do it. It’s my job to get it out of him.”
Typical Giants. Taking two steps back before taking a step forward. Hopefully, for them, this will be the last we’ll be hearing about Banks’ effort.
