It wasn’t long ago that New York Giants fans had completely written off cornerback Deonte Banks as a complete and total draft bust.
After a promising rookie season under the supervision of former defensive coordinator Wink Martindale, Banks fell off hard and was regarded as one of the league’s worst cornerbacks.
It wasn’t for no reason. During the 2025 season, Banks graded out as Pro Football Focus’s 112th-ranked cornerback out of 114 qualified players in 2025, meaning there were only two players who PFF felt were worse than him at his own position.
So far in 2026, it’s been a different story.
Banks is coming off an impressive performance in Week 4, where he even had a game-clinching pick-six to put the game on ice against the Arizona Cardinals. He earned NFC Defensive Player of the Week honors for his work.
It’s safe to say that Banks is having a career renaissance, and you can thank the Giants coaching staff for that.
Dennard Wilson on Coaching Deonte Banks
Speaking to the media early in the week, New York Giants defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson was asked what the current coaching staff is doing to get the most out of the former first-round draft pick, and what they’re doing differently compared to previous regimes.
“I’ve always believed in the kid. And you know, this goes with teaching and coaching. You can’t ask for the hand until you touch the heart. And that was the objective: to touch the heart, to understand that he has people that care about him, that won’t throw him away,” Wilson told reporters.
“If he has a bad moment, if he has a good moment, we’re going to stay consistent, we’re going to have tough love with him, and that’s what he needed. We do too much of throwing guys away when they’re not having success right now. Sometimes it takes them time to fight through it.”
Clearly, the positivity that John Harbaugh and Wilson have instilled in Banks is working. He hasn’t played this well since his rookie year in 2023, and he’s popping on the field.
PFF thinks so too, as Banks has earned an overall grade of 71.3 for his play through four games, ranking 17th best among his peers.
His coverage grade of 77.2 ranks eighth among all cornerbacks, and it’s clear he’s on track to make some money this offseason.
Could the Giants Extend Deonte Banks?
The New York Giants declined Banks’ fifth-year option this past summer, meaning he’s scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season.
Is there a world where the Giants could look to lock their former first-round draft pick down on a multi-year deal?
It’s possible, but still too early to tell. Banks has been playing really well so far, but it’s only been four games. There’s still a lot of football left before we can say the former Maryland standout has completely turned it around.
But if he keeps playing like this, we could absolutely see the Giants get a deal done. After all, how many of Joe Schoen’s own draft picks have been able to say they actually deserve a second contract?
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