Giants' Adoree' Jackson excited to work with rookie Deonte Banks
New York Giants cornerback Deonte Banks (36) walks back to the locker rooms with his teammates after workouts on May 25, 2023. Credit: AP/John Minchillo
When the Giants drafted cornerback Deonte Banks in the first round, Adoree’ Jackson knew that meant he’d be adding “mentor” to his responsibilities this season.
“I'm excited,” Jackson said Wednesday as the Giants' OTAs continued. “I think about when I was in Tennessee, and I had Logan Ryan being able to help me and mentor me. And the following year, I had Malcolm Butler. I always think of it as an added benefit to us as a whole, not just the defense but the team as a whole. So, I'm excited.”
Banks will be expected to start immediately, opposite Jackson.
“Watched his tape. Like him,” Jackson said. “Watched him go through the walk-throughs, different things. Talked to him. He's got a good head on his shoulder. Seems like a great guy. I was excited.”
Neal's new stance on line
Coming off a challenging rookie season, right tackle Evan Neal made changes to his stance during the offseason as he worked with former Bengals and Ravens offensive tackle Willie Anderson.
“Working with Willie was cool. Just gaining a lot of his knowledge, him being a Pro Bowl player, we were playing around with my stance, seeing what’s comfortable, seeing what's not comfortable,” Neal said. “[Finding] the stance that I can be functional out of and explode out of and stuff like that.”
Said coach Brian Daboll: “I’d say [offensive line coach] Bobby [Johnson] does a great job with those guys. I’d say he studies all the offensive linemen. He’s with them all day during practice, during this time. I’d say with each player, there’s little things that you try to tweak and coach on, and it’s no different with Evan.”
Blue notes
Wide receiver David Sills V was back on the field. Last week, when the media was present, he took a hard fall and left the field with trainers . . . OTAs are voluntary and the media is present for only one day a week. Wednesday’s OTA was the first time reporters saw Dexter Lawrence and Leonard Williams at an OTA . . . Saquon Barkley remains away from the team as he has not signed his franchise tender.
Kimberly Jones covers the Giants for Newsday, a beat she first worked in the early 2000s before joining the YES Network to cover the Yankees. She worked for the NFL Network for more than a decade and has been heard semi-regularly on WFAN.
