Giants eager to see where they stand against Super Bowl contender Lions

Take out the measuring stick. 

The Giants will get a close look Monday and Tuesday at a Super Bowl contender when they share the practice field in East Rutherford with the Lions, who were a blown 17-point lead away from being NFC champions last season.

Is it a chance to see where the remade Giants stack up? 

“For sure,” safety Jason Pinnock said. “Anybody [would be], but specifically with them, of course. It’s a team who is full of grit and that’s hard working, who’s got a little confidence and a little something to them now, so ready to test what we got going on.” 

One year ago, in the first of two joint practices in the Detroit area, the Giants’ offense struggled to function against the Lions. 

Adjustments balanced the scales for Day 2, but the first impression wound up as a telling sign of what would become the NFL’s No. 29-ranked offense — after it was devastated by injuries — and No. 19-ranked defense during the regular season. 

“I think we didn’t start fast enough,” left tackle Andrew Thomas recalled after Sunday’s practice. “I think that’s an emphasis for this year.” 

The Lions are known for their smashmouth brand — built on both sides of the line of scrimmage, like the Giants aim to be. 

“It starts with your mindset,” Thomas said. “If you embrace that type of physicality, that kind of toughness, if you practice like that every day, it translates to the field. That’s the mindset we’re trying to build.” 

Joint practices take away some of the good-bad dynamic that happens on every play during training camp. 

Will rookie receiver Malik Nabers be as dynamic as he has looked so far against the Lions’ duo of Carlton Davis III (a $14.5 million per year player) and fellow first-round rookie Terrion Arnold? 

Will the three-headed pass rush of Dexter Lawrence, Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux be as effective against one of the NFL’s best offensive lines? 

Will the young secondary hold its own against three-time Pro Bowl quarterback Jared Goff and electric 1,500-yard receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown? 

“We’re going to figure out who we are as a defense and what we need to get better at,” cornerback Cor’Dale Flott said. “[Last year] was aggressive, physical, chatty, talking [junk]. We know that’s what’s coming, so we have to have a clean practice and compete.” 

RT Evan Neal will not be part of the joint practices, but it’s unclear when he will come off the physically unable to perform list. 

“He’s working hard,” Brian Daboll said. “He’s just not ready to go yet. I’m not going to get into all the particulars. He’s rehabbing.” 

Neal, who had ankle surgery in early January, appeared to suffer a setback in OTAs, and was expected to be “not far off” when training camp opened July 24. 

“I think he’s doing a little bit more each day,” Daboll said. “They’re backing off on him some days.” 

Daboll said it is to be determined “down the road” whether the former first-round pick can return to the starting lineup but ruled out a move to guard for now. 

The Giants held their lightest practice of camp, coming after a day off and two days after their heaviest practice of camp.

The last 30-plus minutes were a walk-through that included some scouting for the Lions.