The New York Giants‘ 2024 season was, by all accounts, a historic fumble. A 3-14 record, tied for the league’s worst, an offense that looked like it was stuck in neutral, and a defense that was good but far from consistent defined their year.
The 2025 offseason was about one thing for Big Blue’s beleaguered secondary: finding turnovers.
Last year, despite a top-10 defensive ranking in yards allowed, the Giants managed only five interceptions. Five. That’s second-worst in the NFL. For a unit boasting talented edge rushers like Kayvon Thibodeaux and Dexter Lawrence, the lack of ball-hawking on the back end almost felt criminal.
The Giants hope to shake things up with some serious retooling. Enter veteran corner Paulson Adebo and ball-hawking safety Jevon Holland. The goal? Help this group turn potential into production.
Revamping the Cornerback Room
The additions of Adebo and Holland have already energized the locker room. Cornerback Andru Phillips didn’t mince words about what they bring to the table.
We can do so much with them. They came in and picked up our schemes like they’ve been here forever. We’re versatile now. We can run man, zone, blitz, you name it, Phillips said.
Holland, who joined after spending his initial pro years in Miami, is laser-focused on generating turnovers.
It’s all about hunting the football, Holland explained. Punch it out, disrupt the quarterback, always attack. When you’ve got the ball at the front of your mind, good things happen.
The chemistry-building between the new arrivals and existing pieces like Deonte Banks and Cor’Dale Flott already started during spring workouts, and early signs in training camp are promising.
Holland, for instance, said that playing alongside Adebo feels natural already in training camp.
I kind of know what he’s going to do before he does it. That compatibility is huge for us.
A Position Battle Heating Up
For Deonte Banks, the former first-round pick who’s entering a pivotal third season, 2025 represents an inflection point. After a sophomore slump that included public criticisms from coaches (all of whom have since departed), the spotlight is squarely on him. The team brought in Adebo to compete for the number one spot.
Head coach Brian Daboll isn’t sugarcoating the job expectations.
It’s not just handed to anyone. You’ve got to earn your spot, Daboll said.
Banks has been splitting first-team reps with Flott, and both corners are scratching and clawing to claim the starting role opposite Adebo.
Can the Upgrades Translate to Results?
Here’s the deal for the Giants’ 2025 prospects in the NFC East, a division loaded with elite quarterback talent like Jalen Hurts, Dak Prescott, and Jayden Daniels. They need to become opportunistic. Changes in scheme and personnel are designed to put the Giants in better positions to turn deflections into interceptions, pressures into fumbles, and close games into wins.
Improving on last season’s dreadful takeaway total won’t be easy, but with Holland’s leadership and Adebo’s savvy, the secondary seems primed for a breakout. Combine that with elite pressure up front, and this defense has a shot at being the backbone of a more competitive Giants squad.
A Make-Or-Break Year for Banks
All eyes will be on Banks in 2025. The organization has spared no effort in giving him the tools to succeed. But as Daboll underscores, coaching and resources only get a player so far.
At the end of the day, these guys have to execute. They’ve got to take the things we teach and make plays on the field, he says.
For Banks, the bell curve of outcomes still ranges from All-Pro to bust. This season will go a long way toward determining whether he can justify his first-round pedigree. That is the description for Flott as well, and even with Phillips impressing as a rookie as their nickel cornerback, as a unit, they have to improve as a whole for their nasty front seven to produce.
