**Can Cor’Dale Flott Lock Down a Role or Get Left Behind?**
The Giants have been throwing a ton of resources into their defense the last couple of years—grabbing top draft picks, signing big-name free agents, the works. The goal? Build a defense that can actually hang with the best in the league. And while they’ve had some standout players, the depth hasn’t really been there, especially in the secondary.
The secondary’s always been a bit of a sore spot. Injuries pile up, guys go down, and suddenly you’re scraping the bottom of the depth chart. That’s where Cor’Dale Flott comes in. Drafted in the third round back in 2022, he’s heading into Year 4, and this might be his most important season yet.
Flott wasn’t a full-time starter at first, but last season he started 10 of 14 games—his busiest year so far. He racked up 637 snaps, which was over 70% of the team’s defensive plays. Most of those reps came on the outside too, not in the slot, which was a bit of a switch from his earlier roles. And yeah, he had his ups and downs, but it gave him a lot of room to grow.
Early in the season, missed tackles were a problem—he whiffed on five in his first eight games. But after that? Zero missed tackles. That brought his missed tackle rate down to 8.6%, way better than the team average of 13.3%. So he’s clearly learning and adjusting.
He’s also getting sharper with his angles and understanding how to funnel plays to his teammates. Coverage-wise, there was noticeable improvement. Before Week 8, QBs completed over 73% of passes when targeting him. After Week 8? That dropped to under 58%.
A big reason for the improvement? The Giants started playing more aggressive defense after Dexter Lawrence got hurt, and Flott began reading QBs better and playing tighter off-man coverage—which is kind of his sweet spot. With the team bringing in guys like Paulson Adebo and Jevon Holland, it’s not totally clear how the scheme might shift, but if they stick with that Cover 1 and Cover 3 mix, Flott’s skill set still fits.
Now, the flip side…
The biggest knock on Flott is his build. He’s 6’2″ but weighs just 175 pounds—that’s pretty skinny for an NFL corner. That lack of bulk makes it tough to bring guys down cleanly or fight through contact. If he doesn’t tackle with perfect form, bigger receivers can just power through him.
That also hurts him when receivers get physical. Even when he covers well—like when he shut down Brandin Cooks most of the time—one little push-off can throw him off just enough to give up separation. A stronger frame would help him absorb that kind of contact without getting knocked off his route.
His aggressive style can also backfire. Smart route runners can bait him with fakes, and when he commits too early, he’s toast. That happened last season against Noah Brown, who hit him with a subtle move that completely turned Flott around and led to a big gain.
**Bottom Line?**
It all depends on what you expect from him.
If you’re hoping Flott becomes a top-tier starter or lockdown corner, that’s probably not happening. But if you’re looking for a solid rotational guy—someone who can step in and hold his own when needed—then he’s absolutely trending in that direction.
He’s got some real limitations—mostly tied to his size and aggressive tendencies—but he’s also versatile, can play both outside and slot, and is improving in key areas like tackling and off-man coverage.
If he keeps growing, the Giants might not need to worry about cornerback depth for a while. But if he stalls? The team won’t hesitate to bring someone else in and let Flott fight for a roster spot in 2026.
Sink or Shine: Is Cor’Dale Flott the Future of the Giants’ Secondary?
