3 Losers of Giants Free Agency

Coincidentally, three Giants first-round picks are losers of the team’s early free agency.

Receiver Malik Nabers

New York hasn’t yet signed its quarterback, but it’s inevitable that whoever lands in East Rutherford will be better than the quartet of Daniel Jones, Drew Lock, Tommy DeVito, and Tim Boyle. Who the Giants bring in will greatly impact the shape of his production in 2025.

However, in re-signing Slayton, the Giants missed an opportunity to pair Nabers with an above-average starter (if not a star) on the boundary. New York’s receiving corps is average on a good day, despite Nabers’ prowess, and a co-star would have opened up additional opportunities while relieving some of the pressure his target share demands.

The process to bring Slayton back is debatable, but the Giants haven’t done anything at the position to optimize their best offensive player.

Right Tackle Evan Neal

If it wasn’t set in stone after the end of the 2024 campaign, free agency has made it clear that Neal’s days in New York are numbered.

He struggled at tackle and has been the center of position change rumors, potentially kicking inside to save his career. In the wake of his struggles, the Giants added swing tackle James Hudson III and right tackle Stone Forsythe. In addition, both Greg Van Roten and Aaron Stinnie were brought back on the interior.

Along with Josh Ezeudu and Jake Kubas, New York has plenty of options for its second-string offensive line, making Neal even more expendable than his performance would suggest.

Corner Deonte Banks

Being demoted to a second corner should do Banks well. He struggled against Justin Jefferson, Terry McLaurin, Amari Cooper, CeeDee Lamb, and just about every other top receiver he faced except DK Metcalf and Tee Higgins. It was ugly, and effort issues compounded his struggles.

Adebo should lighten the load for Banks, but he also opens the door for the Giants to bench him entirely. Either with the third pick in the 2025 NFL Draft (Travis Hunter) or a Day 2 selection, New York is in the market for another starting corner.

With Dru Phillips making a name for himself on the interior, any significant addition would render Banks the team’s fourth corner, an unfortunate development for Schoen’s 2023 first-round pick.