Giants news, 5/13: Deonte Banks, schedule overview, underdogs in Week 1, more headlines

Good morning, New York Giants fans!

Giants’ first-round pick Deonte Banks has a ‘ton of humility,’ and talent

Deonte Banks, the college student, has not let one important thing fall by the wayside: His degree from the University of Maryland.

Terrapins football coach Mike Locksley told Big Blue View in an exclusive phone interview that that story has not been “talked about or told enough.”

“Here’s a guy that is a first-round pick, 24th pick in a draft, but two days ago he’s down in our study hall facility, finishing up his degree,” Locksley said. “He’s doing study hall, he’s finishing up papers, he’s taking final exams the next week or two. And most guys in his situation, they take the semester off. They not necessarily finish and wait until their careers are done or come back two, three years from now to finish. He’s getting that piece of paper in the next week or two.”

For more from Ed Valentine’s interview with Locksley, click the podcast here.

More from Big Blue View

• New York Giants 2023 schedule release: Dates, times, prime time games and more
• 4 Giants games I’m looking forward to, and 2 I’m not
• Giants vs. Cowboys Week 1 opening odds: Giants open as slight underdogs to the Cowboys
• Giants 2023 schedule: Game-by-game predictions
• Takeaways from the Giants’ 2023 schedule
• Habakkuk Baldonado tries to join the Pitt rookie crew in the NFL

Other Giants observations

Giants play seven of first 10 games on the road | ProFootballTalk

PFT’s Mike Florio says the quiet part out loud after Giant fans saw this year’s schedule:

In recent years, when a team gets dealt a tough hand by the schedule makers, we asked, “Who did they piss off at 345 Park Avenue?”

This year, when it comes to the Giants’ schedule, we know. Co-owner John Mara spoke out against the Commissioner’s desire to have late-season flexes for Thursday night football, calling it “abusive” to fans.

The schedule arguably is abusive to the Giants.

Playing on Black Friday was almost a thing for the Giants

League’s 2023 schedule guru explains why Lions are in season kickoff, primetime logic | CBSSports.com

The league considered putting the Jets-Giants matchup in Week 1 that falls on Sept. 11. Instead, it opted to play the Giants at home on Sept. 10 and debut Aaron Rodgers at MetLife on the following night against the Bills. One reason was that the teams have to face each other in the final week of the preseason and then in the first game of the season.

NFL schedule 2023 winners, losers: Jordan Love takes center stage; Colts shut out of prime time | The Athletic

The Giants are listed as the top “loser” as seven of the Giants’ first 11 games are on the road against the Cardinals, 49ers, Dolphins, Bills, Raiders, Cowboys and Commanders. And three of their home games in that opening stretch are against the Cowboys and Seahawks (two playoff teams from 2022), as well as Rodgers’ Jets. If the Giants can manage to tread water, they’ll have a chance to make a run in the second half, but that’s going to be a mighty task.

One good thing and one bad thing each team will face this season | CBSSports.com

The Giants are one of just four teams that will get to play their final two games at home.

How Dexter Lawrence’s massive contract compares to other DTs and what it means for Giants | The Athletic

The Athletic's Dan Duggan writes that "a strong case can be made that Lawrence produced a better 2022 season than Simmons — and really, any interior defensive lineman aside from Kansas City’s Chris Jones — but their respective track records prevented Lawrence from securing a bigger deal."

Dexter Lawrence contract shows how new deals help Giants create cap space – New York Daily News

Before signing his new contract, Giants defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence was due to count $12.4 million against this season’s salary cap.

The Giant’s social media team’s contribution to the schedule release campaign

NFL Players Primed for Breakout Seasons After Disappointing Rookie Campaigns | Bleacher Report

OT Evan Neal, New York Giants

Neal didn’t transition well to right tackle and dealt with a sprained MCL throughout his rookie campaign. The 6’7”, 350-pound lineman played right guard, right tackle and left tackle during his Alabama career. Neal’s inability to settle into one position over a four-year span factored into his rookie-year struggles.

With Andrew Thomas set as Daniel Jones’ blindside protector, the Giants have no intention of moving Neal. Two consecutive years on the right side should help him clean up his technique and become more consistent

2023 NFL Draft: 5 non-Round 1 rookies who can be immediate starters | PFF
John Michael Schmitz will be starting for the Giants out of necessity. The other option, J.C. Hassenauer, hasn’t been a full-time starter in any of his five years so far. JMS was the nation’s highest-graded center (92.3) this past season and was one of only three in the country with 80-plus grades as both a pass- and run-blocker. He fits a massive need for New York and was elite value at No. 57 overall.

Around the league

Jets hit with bizarre scheduling quirk that NFL has only seen once in 93 years | CBSSports.com

Tom Brady working toward acquiring minority stake in Raiders | NFL.com

Sources - Dan Snyder seeks to limit release of inquiry report | ESPN.com

Seahawks are not sure if Jamal Adams will be ready for training camp | ProFootballTalk

Chargers CB J.C. Jackson (knee) hopes to be '100 percent' by start of season | NFL.com

Expectations for Eagles defense sky high as Sean Desai takes over as DC | FOX Sports

Monday Night Football has three simultaneous doubleheaders this year | ProFootballTalk

The NFL Is on a Mission to Take Over Your Calendar | The Ringer

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