Giants and Lions to hold joint practices in training camp

Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell told reporters on Tuesday that the Lions and the New York Giants would be holding joint practices ahead of their preseason game in August.

Campbell also said that the two teams would hold the joint practices in the first week of preseason — though the 2023 schedule hasn’t been officially released yet.

The Lions were one of the biggest surprises of the 2022 season, with the team taking on Campbell’s hyper-competitive personality. While their defense was largely bad, they compensated with one of the league’s most prolific offenses. The Lions were third in total yardage, fifth in scoring, and fifth in plays of both 20+ and 40+ yards last year.

The Lions should prove to be a good early test for the Giants’ defense as they look to improve on their 2022 season.

This will also be an opportunity for reunions, as the Lions will hope to have former Giants EDGE Romeo Okwara back healthy and the Giants added former Lions cornerback Amani Oruwariye. Not to mention Campbell himself, who was drafted by the Giants in the third round of the 1999 draft.

The Giants also held joint practices with the Jets last year. The final practice was marred by several injuries (including Azeez Ojulari, who injured his calf at the very end of practice), which both teams hope to avoid.

“I think you just go about it like any other practice, man,” Campbell, said told reporters on Tuesday at the NFL owners meetings in Phoenix. “You be smart with what you’re doing, and they’re going to suggest what they’re going to suggest, and we listen to it. But it’s not like we don’t have our players’ best interests at heart and we’re reading our own data and we’re trying to figure out the best way to help our guys in recovery and all that. But at the same time, there’s a balance. You want to get really good work and maybe not have to play some of the starters.”

Hopefully Campbell’s squad will refrain from gnawing on the Giants’ kneecaps.