Take everything you think you know about the New York Giants’ secondary and toss it in the trash.
The unit has a new coordinator, Dennard Wilson, two new coaches, Donald D’Alesio and Addison Lynch, and a slew of new faces among the player ranks. Things will be different in the John Harbaugh era.
Here are five quick questions regarding the secondary to ponder before training camp in July.
Is Deonte Banks salvageable?
John Harbaugh has come in and declared that every player on the roster will be given a clean slate. That begins with Banks, the Giants’ 2023 first-round pick who played his way out of the starting lineup the past two years.
Wilson believes Banks can get back on track. He just needs to be broken down and re-taught.
“I know Banks. I remember evaluating him coming out. He’s a Maryland Terp, and I’m a Maryland Terp,” Wilson said last month at the beginning of the Giants’ offseason workout program. “I had just a little bit of background with him. He’s a talented player. He’s big. He can run. He brings an element of physicality, but he’s had an up-and-down career thus far.”
“For us, it’s coming in with a clean slate. That’s everybody on this defense. No matter what has been done in the past, where they were drafted, how they were acquired, we’re coming in here as a clean slate, we’re trying to evaluate the players, see what they do well, and we’re trying to teach them our way of football.
“In terms of Banks, I think we have two great DB coaches in (defensive pass coordinator/secondary coach) Donald (D’Alesio) and (defensive backs coach) Addison (Lynch) that does an excellent job in teaching DB play, footwork, technique, eyes. I think it’s going to be beneficial to all of them.
“Tae will have the opportunity to go out there and get better. We’re going to put things on his plate, try to make things as simple as they can be in terms of conceptual teaching, and that’s for everybody.
I was raised, my dad always told me, keep it simple. We have ways to kind of simplify things to make it all fit no matter what the call or the structure is.”
Will Colton Hood start right out of the gate?
Hood was a first-round talent the Giants lucked into in the second round. He is immensely talented and can play just about any style of defense asked of him. He is best as a press corner, something the Giants have sorely needed the past few seasons.
Hood can play his way right into the starting lineup with a strong summer. He’s already off to a solid start, popping some eyes this past weekend at rookie minicamp.
The Giants aren’t particularly deep at boundary cornerback. Only two players stand in Hood’s way at the moment, unless Banks has a sudden turnaround.
Paulson Adebo, a big-ticket free agent last offseason, is one starter. He’ll be two years removed from knee surgery, so the team is hopeful he’ll fare better this season. Greg Newsome II, a former first-round pick of the Cleveland Browns who played for Jacksonville last year, was signed to a one-year, $8 million deal, so he’ll get a chance at a job.
Where do the free agents fit?
General manager Joe Schoen has had a busy offseason, but did not really address the depth in the secondary to the satisfaction of many people. Newsome was the big name he brought in, and he will get a shot at one corner, but will have Hood breathing down his neck.
Then there were three safeties signed: Former Giant starter Jason Pinnock, A’Darius Washington, and Elijah Campbell.
All have NFL experience and will challenge for roster roles. The Giants are hoping the depth signings will elevate the play of the rest of the secondary, most notably safeties Jevon Holland and Tyler Nubin.
Are we in for a Nubin breakout?
The 2024 second-round pick out of Minnesota has had flashes in his first two seasons, which both saw him land on season-ending injured reserve (IR). In 2024, Nubin was having a solid rookie campaign that was derailed by a high ankle sprain that required surgery. Last year, it was a neck injury in Week 16 that ended Nubin’s season.
The Giants are still high on Nubin, but the injury history has forced them to seek depth at safety. He will get his chance, but will be asked to do different things under Wilson. He could get back to the aggressive style he played as a rookie under coordinator Wink Martindale. That is, providing he can stay healthy and fend off the slew of veterans Schoen has brought in to challenge him.
Who will be the biggest surprise?
If the Giants can get Banks righted, that would surely be a huge lift for the Giants. Same thing with Newsome. With two underachieving former first-rounders, you have to figure they can get something out of at least one of them.
Washington is familiar with the defense, coming in from Baltimore, and could end up playing a larger role than expected.
As for long shots, Thaddeus Dixon, an undrafted rookie free agent out of North Carolina, could make some noise in camp.
This article originally appeared on Giants Wire: 5 questions facing the New York Giants secondary
Reporting by John Fennelly, Giants Wire / Giants Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
