Detroit Lions 2017 season preview: Week 2 vs. New York Giants

We continue our 13-part series previewing the Detroit Lions’ 2017 opponents. Today, we tackle the New York Giants. Recently, the Lions have had a back-and-forth relationship with New York. Last year, the Giants got the better of them, suffocating the Lions’ offense on their way to a 17-6 victory. Before that, the Lions devoured the Giants in Week 1 of the 2014 season on “Monday Night Football.”

This year, it is the Giants who will be hosting the Lions on “Monday Night Football.” The Lions haven’t won on Giants turf since 2004, when Joey Harrington put up a near-perfect passer rating of 140.5 on his way to a dominating 28-13 victory.

Even though the teams played not so long ago, let’s get to know the 2017 New York Giants with the help of Big Blue View. They provided all of the information below.

Notable free agent additions: WR Brandon Marshall, TE/FB Rhett Ellison, RB Shaun Draughn, OL D.J. Fluker, DE Devin Taylor, DT Corbin Bryant, CB Valentino Blake

Notable free agent departures: DT Johnathan Hankins, WR Victor Cruz, TE Larry Donnell, RB Rashad Jennings, CB Coty Sensabaugh, CB Trevin Wade, DB Leon Hall, OT Marshall Newhouse, QB Ryan Nassib

Trades: N/A

Draft picks expected to contribute as rookies:

TE Evan Engram, Round 1 - Could be the starter. Should join Odell Beckham Jr., Brandon Marshall and Sterling Shepard in a dynamic receiving corps. The Giants didn’t have a big tight end who could threaten the seam or be a consistent red zone threat last season. They believe Engram can do those things.

DT Dalvin Tomlinson, Round 2 - Could start in Hankins’ spot next to Damon Harrison. In fact, almost certainly will start.

RB Wayne Gallman, Round 4 - An all-around back who could become part of the team’s running back rotation.

QB Davis Webb (Round 3), DE Avery Moss (Round 5) and OT Adam Bisnowaty (Round 6) are further down the depth chart right now.

Biggest offseason addition: The single transaction that has gotten the most attention is the addition of Brandon Marshall. Perhaps the answer, though, is the combination of Marshall and (Evan) Engram. That gives the Giants size and a multitude of options in their passing attack that they did not have last season.

Biggest storyline heading into training camp: The fact that the Giants, with a stationary 36-year-old quarterback and possibly the worst offensive tackle tandem in the NFL last season, did nothing to upgrade that position this offseason. They are depending on improvement from Ereck Flowers and Bobby Hart. If they don’t get it, that will be a major problem.

Under-the-radar storyline heading into training camp: Contract stuff. Odell Beckham is due what everyone knows will be a monster contract after the season. Offensive linemen Justin Pugh and Weston Richburg can also be free agents. It’s an under-current, but the Giants are heading toward critical—and expensive—decisions on many key players.

Notable injuries heading into training camp: No major ones that occurred in the spring. Rhett Ellison missed time with a calf issue that is worth monitoring. Darian Thompson missed 14 games with a foot injury last year, and his status is a bit of a mystery as the Giants haven’t really turned him loose. Eli Apple had a hamstring that kept him out of minicamp

Thanks to Big Blue View for all of the answers above.