Henderson is taking Banks’ difficulties personally
The New York Giants, worried about being overtaken, traded up one spot to pick Deonte Banks at No. 24 overall in the 2023 NFL Draft, a move that reflects their high hopes and investment in the cornerback.
This season, however, Banks has faced challenges — struggling as the team’s top cornerback, showing lapses in effort on two occasions, and being benched Monday against the Pittsburgh Steelers. These difficulties have impacted the team and reflect on those who were part of bringing him to the Giants.
No one feels this more deeply than veteran defensive backs coach Jerome Henderson. With 18 years of coaching experience and a past as an NFL defensive back, Henderson is now in his fifth year with the Giants. On Friday, he expressed how “invested” he is in Banks’ development and success.
“We have great expectations for Tae. We took him in the first round. I personally visited him, spent time with him, came back here, discussed him with Joe [Schoen] and Dabs [Brian Daboll], and felt we would work well together. I’m as committed to his success as anyone else here.”
In Henderson’s Friday media session, his personal commitment to Banks’ improvement was clear.
“I raised my hand and said, yes, draft him, I want him, I believe in him. When he struggles, I feel it too. We’re connected, he and I. It wasn’t good enough on his end, and so it wasn’t good enough on mine either,” Henderson said.
“We have high expectations for him and push him to meet those standards based on his draft position and what we believe he can contribute. It’s my responsibility to help him understand the significance of his role and our expectations. It’s up to both of us to make it happen.”
The Giants pulled Deonte Banks from Monday’s game because they felt he wasn’t consistently meeting the team’s expectations, said defensive backs coach Jerome Henderson. “We wanted to get his attention to show that we expect more from him,” Henderson explained.
While Banks has shown strong performance in moments, Henderson emphasized that consistency across all plays is crucial. “A game has about 64 plays. If you do well on 58 of them, those few remaining plays where you’re tested are what you’re judged on,” Henderson said. “We want him to shine in those critical moments — that’s why we drafted him. I know he has the potential to perform at a high level consistently, and it’s my job to help bring that out.”
Deonte Banks wasn’t benched during the game against the Eagles, even after pulling up on a play where he could have tackled Jalen Hurts, because of the team’s injury situation. Defensive backs coach Jerome Henderson explained, “We had already lost corners early in the game and were rotating players at the other corner position due to injuries.”
As for the Steelers game, there wasn’t a single incident that led to Banks’ benching; rather, it was a buildup of various issues. Henderson noted, “There were multiple things and multiple reasons, and ultimately, we just expect more from him — and I expect more from myself, too. My hope is that he and I will look back on this as a point of growth.”
One key play against the Steelers — George Pickens’ near-touchdown — wasn’t the reason for benching Banks. Henderson clarified that Banks wasn’t responsible for Pickens on that play. “He actually made a bonus play, saving us from a touchdown. That wasn’t his man; he reacted, came off his coverage, and made a good athletic play.”
The Giants decided to start Deonte Banks against the Steelers despite considering benching him as a consequence for his missed tackle attempt on Jalen Hurts. Defensive backs coach Jerome Henderson explained, “We went into that game thinking about giving the New York Giants the best chance to win. We believed having Tae on the field from the start would provide that.”
When asked why Banks continues to start, Henderson was straightforward: “Because we think he gives us the best chance to win. Otherwise, we wouldn’t start him. Hopefully, he got the message from the Pittsburgh game, and we’ve moved on. Now, we’re giving him a chance to show the player he really is.”
As for whether Banks is fully absorbing the Giants’ expectations, Henderson said it’s uncertain. “We’ll see. I hope he does,” Henderson remarked. “We’re all aiming to play our best this week, and we’re asking him to step up and make a significant impact for us.”