After a couple intense joint practices this week, the Detroit Lions and New York Giants will have their preseason opener Friday night at Ford Field.
For the Lions, the players to watch during those joint practices can easily transfer as those to watch in the game. But there is also as shift in opportunity in some spots, with the announcement running back Justin Jackson retiring coming on Thursday standing out freshly there. Jackson was easy to pencil in as the Lions' kickoff returner, a role he was effective in last year, and as the No. 3 running back. Now, the competition for the spots on the depth chart behind David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs is more open and two additions were made this week (Devine Ozigbo, Benny Snell).
The first preseason game will be an important tent pole for players in a variety of situations on the Lions' roster, with the starters lined up to play little, if at all. Opportunity will knock, and some guys really need to answer the door emphatically in a game situation.
It's easy to overreact to performances in a preseason game, good or bad. But even with that in mind, these five Lions will have a lot of eyes on them Friday night.