Cornerback Deonte Banks’s perceived lack of effort while trying to tackle Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts in Week Seven led to speculation that the Giants might bench him, but he was on the field to start Monday night’s game against the Steelers.
Banks wound up on the bench before the night was out, however. Banks was yanked in the second quarter in favor of Greg Stroman after a drive that saw him give up completions and then get hurdled by Steelers running back Najee Harris while trying to make a tackle.
“Just thought during that series needed a little bit more,” head coach Brian Daboll said in his postgame press conference. “Had a conversation with him and went with the other guys.”
Banks was a first-round pick in 2023, so benching him in favor of a practice squad elevation is not the kind of decision one makes lightly. Daboll said he believes Banks will “bounce back” and suggested that he’ll start again next week.
“I’m not going to make any declarations right now, but, yeah, I would say so,” Daboll said.
The current Giants regime has used first-round picks on Banks, edge rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux, tackle Evan Neal, and wide receiver Malik Nabers over the last three years. Nabers has played well, but Neal has been benched for the entire season and Thibodeaux is on injured reserve so it’s not hard to tie some of the reason for the team’s 2-6 record to the lack of return they’ve gotten from premium picks.
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