EAST RUTHERFORD — When the Giants needed their defense to make a play to seal a primetime win against the Eagles, Cor’Dale Flott was ready.

The cornerback backpedaled a few steps, drifted to his right and stepped in front of Jahan Dotson to intercept Jalen Hurts for 68 yards — the longest interception return of his four-year career — and set the Giants up at the Eagles’ 23-yard line with 11:25 left in the fourth quarter.

“Initially I just saw the formation — cut split — and I’m like, ‘He runs this out (route) and I’m gonna jump it,’ and that’s what I did,” Flott recalled Wednesday after practice.

Brian Daboll called it a “huge play” in the Giants’ 34-17 win last Thursday. But what the head coach has yet to do is declare Flott as the team’s every-down CB2.

Flott has started in all six games this season but has rotated at times with Deonte Banks while Paulson Adebo played every defensive snap at the other outside cornerback spot.

That changed against the Eagles as Flott came off the field for only three snaps. Daboll insisted that was the “game plan” and “could change next week based on what we’re doing.”

“I found it out later in the week, and once they told me I was like, ‘Alright, let’s do it, let’s get the ball rolling and let’s go,’” Flott said. “I don’t know if it was a game-plan thing or if they see me as a guy that’s staying in that role. So as of now, I’m just keeping my head down and just handling what I can handle.”

When asked if he was given an explanation in the past for why he was rotating with Banks, Flott replied, “Not necessarily. I just do what they ask me to do and I go out there and execute.”

Still, he admits it didn’t sit well with him. Banks had mostly been subbing in on third down, which is typically when teams pass the ball most frequently.

“Obviously it bothered me because I like to compete and I’m a competitor, but if that’s what they feel that we need to do as a defense, then I’m all for it,” Flott said. “I’ve just got to make my plays when I get that chance to.”

On the season, Flott has played in 80.8 percent of the Giants’ defensive snaps to Banks’ 24.7. It has seemed like an unnecessary rotation, especially considering Flott outperformed Banks all season. But Daboll said early in the fall that he felt both had earned playing time.

Yet it’s become hard even for this regime, which drafted Banks in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft, to continue justifying a spot on the field for him. Banks committed four penalties in only 100 snaps over the first five games of the season.

Flott’s snaps have upticked over the last three games from 69.8 percent to 89.4 to 94.7, and it would be surprising for Banks to see the field more next Sunday against the Broncos.

Flott hopes that his big play against the Eagles gained him more trust with the coaching staff.

“I’m sure it could, but it’s a week-to-week game and you’ve got to go out there and execute every week,” Flott said. “It’s not about what we did last week, man. I feel like that play is over with. Hopefully I can just have their trust though.”

Now in the final year of his rookie contract, Flott said he hopes to sign an extension with the Giants because they drafted him and gave him an opportunity in the NFL. But he’s focused on the here and now, which is making his mark as an outside cornerback after transitioning from slot cornerback in the summer of 2024.

“I feel confident,” Flott said. “I feel like I’m ready, and that’s what I’m going to keep proving.”

Injury Report

In addition to inside linebacker Micah McFadden being on injured reserve, the Giants will potentially be without two starters against the Broncos.

Wide receiver Darius Slayton (hamstring) is “getting better,” per Daboll, but didn’t practice on Wednesday. He missed the Eagles game last Thursday on a short week, and Daboll said prior to practice that he “may or may not do something” on the practice field.

Slayton will likely need to progress to at least being a limited participant in practice during the week to have a chance to play.

Center John Michael Schmitz, meanwhile, is in the concussion protocol and also didn’t practice. Daboll expressed confidence in Austin Schlottmann, who played well for the final 32 snaps at center against the Eagles after Schmitz got injured, if the eighth-year pro has to start in Denver.

“I’m confident in all the guys we have; that’s why they’re here,” Daboll said. “He did what he needed to do, which is come in and operate at center for us. He did a nice job.”

Originally Published: October 15, 2025 at 4:23 PM EDT