When the Giants traded up in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft for Deonte Banks, the vision was clear: a lockdown, CB1 anchor for years to come. Fast forward to the dawn of the John Harbaugh era, and that vision has devolved into a cautionary tale.
Banks has arguably become the team’s biggest defensive liability, finishing 2025 as the 112th-ranked cornerback out of 114 qualifiers, per PFF. With a coverage grade of 45.0 and a disastrous 136.3 passer rating allowed, Banks has effectively fallen to the bottom of the depth chart.
Yet, in a season defined by defensive regression, Banks stumbled into a potential career-saving Plan B. While his days as a starting corner appear numbered, his emergence as a Second-Team All-Pro vote-getter on special teams suggests the Giants might still have a weapon hiding in plain sight.
Deonte Banks has Developed into a Quality Return Specialist
The most bizarre twist of the 2025 season was Banks’ transformation into a legitimate kick-return threat. After being benched for his coverage lapses, special teams coordinator Michael Ghobrial turned to Banks to utilize his 9.99 RAS (Relative Athletic Score) athleticism.
The results were staggering: Banks finished the year with 19 returns for 622 yards, averaging a massive 32.7 yards per return. The highlight of his career came in Week 17 against the Raiders, where he exploded for a 95-yard kickoff return touchdown.
For a Giants team that has long lacked an explosive returner, Banks’ elite top-end speed has given him a chance to ward off the “bust” label and become a critical special teams player.
Can Banks Stick Around with the Giants?
The debate in the building is whether Banks can be salvaged under new defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson. Banks received plenty of criticism for his lack of effort and poor run defense over the last few seasons.
However, Shane Bowen’s defensive scheme didn’t do him (or any of the defensive backs) any favors. Banks’ athletic profile seems like a solid match for the scheme Wilson is expected to install.
The Giants are facing a looming $11.9 million fifth-year option decision on Banks. While he won’t have his fifth year opton picked up, Banks could attempt to bounce back defensively, pairing that with his impressive play as a kick returner, and push for a contract extension going into the 2027 offseason.
But if Wilson can’t unlock Banks’ freak-athlete traits in 2026, the former first-rounder will likely be relegated to a pure special teams role before his rookie deal expires.
The 2026 Special Teams Blueprint
Under the Giants’ new hierarchy, led by Harbaugh—a former special teams coordinator himself— there will be an emphasis placed on roster versatility. By keeping Banks as a dedicated kick returner and dime package corner, the Giants can justify his roster spot while they scout his eventual replacement in the 2026 NFL Draft.
If Banks can maintain his return metrics, he provides the Giants with a field-position advantage that helps out the offense and mirrors the impact specialist roles Harbaugh prioritized with the Ravens. He may never be the lockdown corner the Giants were promised, but if he keeps taking kicks to the house, he might just stick around.
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