Cor'Dale Flott pays back confidence Giants have shown in him
Cor'Dale Flott of the Giants defends against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the third quarter at MetLife Stadium on Nov. 24, 2024. Credit: Jim McIsaac
Cor’Dale Flott hadn’t known it beforehand, but he started last week’s Eagles game in debt. Giants coach Brian Daboll approached the cornerback with a friendly reminder of what he needed to do to pay up.
“Daboll told me before I went into the game that I owed him a turnover,” Flott recalled Thursday. “So I told him right before I went out there on the field that I’m gonna get you a turnover.”
Flott obliged with an interception in the third quarter. It was his third career pick and first takeaway this season. It also helped solidify Daboll’s decision to start Flott after a lengthy competition with Deonte Banks.
The two had battled since the spring for a starting spot opposite free-agent signee Paulson Adebo. Flott has started every game this season, but Banks has rotated in on third downs. That plan has slowly changed as Flott’s play has been steady while Banks has continued to struggle.
In the last two games, Banks played only 11 combined snaps on defense, including a season-low three against the Eagles. The former first-round pick is finding success as a kickoff returner, though, including a 46-yard return against the Saints.
It appears Flott has won the cornerback battle and hasn’t done anything to lose it. He called last week’s performance the opportunity he has wanted for a while, and he has started to settle more into his role.
“I’m comfortable for sure,” Flott said. “I just feel like now I got the chance to continue to maximize those reps, and that’s what I’ve been doing.”
Still, neither Daboll nor defensive coordinator Shane Bowen would commit to ending the rotation. Both said it was just part of the game plan to play Flott more against the Eagles and wouldn’t say if that plan will continue Sunday at Denver.
“Every week it’s going to be a week-to-week evaluation,” Bowen said Thursday. “We’re going to need both those guys. We’re going to need them both.”
Playing both seems like giving Banks more of a chance because of his draft status from two years ago. Banks hasn’t made the most of it, whether it was getting beaten for a touchdown against the Chargers or being flagged for pass interference against the Saints, wiping away an interception by Jevon Holland.
Flott, on the other hand, has been solid. He nearly got burned last week, though. Eagles receiver DeVonta Smith was wide open for a potential touchdown pass, but Jalen Hurts overthrew him.
Flott made up for it with his 68-yard interception return, which set up a Giants touchdown. He is second on the team with seven pass deflections and credited Banks for helping raise his game this season.
“Competition always breeds success. Iron sharpens iron,” Flott said. “We worked together back in the day, found ways to compete, and that just brings out the dawg in me.”
That fight has to carry over against the Broncos to limit quarterback Bo Nix and his offense, and Flott is focused on making sure his interception wasn’t his last takeaway of the season.
“I’m just focused on making plays for the defense,’’ he said. “Get us a win.”
Slayton out again
Receiver Darius Slayton (hamstring) missed his second straight practice Thursday. If he’s out for his second straight game, it could mean more reps for receiver Lil’Jordan Humphrey.
Offensive coordinator Mike Kafka called Humphrey “a really smart player” who uses his 6-4 frame well to beat out defenders, as he did in the win over the Eagles. It also helps that the seven-year veteran connected well with Jaxson Dart in preseason after signing with the Giants in March.
“We just go out there and play football,” said Humphrey, who started and caught four passes for 55 yards in his Giants debut. “That’s what [Dart] echoed to me and that’s all I wanted to go do, just go make plays for him and this team. “
Humphrey played the previous two seasons in Denver, making 15 starts in 34 appearances.
Injury report
DL Chauncey Golston (neck) and D.J. Davidson were added to the injury report and didn’t practice Thursday. C John Michael Schmitz (concussion), LB Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles (hamstring) and Swayze Bozeman (ankle) didn’t practice for the second straight day.
Evan Barnes covers the Giants for Newsday. He previously covered the Brooklyn Nets, Memphis football and the Memphis Grizzlies and also covered prep sports in Los Angeles.
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