Saquon Barkley likely 'a go' for Giants' opener
After months of speculation about whether New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley would be ready for the start of the 2021 season, it appears the fourth-year player will be ready to go against Denver on Sunday, per Mark Cannizzaro of the New York Post.
Barkley suffered a torn ACL early last season and has been working his way back throughout fall camp. There have been no notable setbacks.
Yesterday, Giants offensive coordinator Jason Garrett said Barkley was “100 percent” after avoiding assigning such specifics to the running backs progress.
Earlier this week, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported Barkley was close to being cleared to return.
“Giants RB Saquon Barkley is gearing up to play Sunday vs. the Broncos, and sources say he’s close to being fully cleared to do so following major knee surgery,” Rapoport tweeted on Monday. “The team needs to watch him through Thursday to gauge how his body responds to the workload. But he’s close.”
The team practiced in full pads on Wednesday, and presumably Barkley passed the test. While it seems he will see the field Sunday, he is unlikely to get a normal number of snaps. The Giants are expected to be cautious with him as he makes his return.
Prior to the injury in Week 2, Barkley had 34 yards on 19 carries and 60 yards on six receptions.
Barkley, Giants hoping for an injury-free year
After a standout career at Penn State, the first-round NFL Draft selection has been plagued by injuries during his time in New York.
In addition to the ACL tear last year, Barkley suffered an ankle sprain in Week 3 in 2019 that sidelined him for a month. When he returned to the field, he did not quite look the same, and he later said he rolled the ankle that game against the Arizona Cardinals. While the injury was not severe enough to take him out of the game, it continued to be an issue for the remainder of the year.
He still accounted for 1,441 total yards and eight total touchdowns that season.
As a rookie in 2018, Barkley played in 16 games and rushed for 1,307 yards and 11 touchdowns, averaging five yards per carry. He also caught 91 passes with 721 yards and four touchdowns.