Giants Rumors: Saquon Barkley Expected to Play vs. Bucs Barring Ankle Injury Setback

Ken Murray/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley should be good to go for Monday night’s game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, unless he suffers a setback in his recovery from an ankle injury, per ESPN’s Jordan Raanan.

Barkley has missed the Giants’ last three games. 

Barkley suffered the ankle injury when he stepped on Jourdan Lewis’ foot in a loss to the Dallas Cowboys on Oct. 10. The 24-year-old told reporters during a practice after the loss that he was frustrated by the injury because he felt he was rounding into form since returning from a torn ACL.

The Penn State product was initially believed to have a low ankle sprain that would sideline him for a short period of time. According to Raanan, Barkley admitted last week he has been out longer than expected. 

Like much of the Giants offense, Barkley has underperformed this season, recording 54 carries for 195 yards and two touchdowns in five games. He has also caught 14 passes for 130 yards and a score on 20 targets. 

However, the former Offensive Rookie of the Year was just turning things around before going down. He had his best game of the season in a Week 4 win over the New Orleans Saints, recording 126 total yards (52 rushing, 74 receiving) and two total touchdowns. He had 94 total yards in Week 3.

Barkley has struggled with injuries since rushing for more than 1,000 yards in each of his first two seasons. He tore his ACL during Week 2 of the 2020 campaign and has played just seven total games thus far between last season and the 2021 campaign. 

The Giants picked up Barkley’s fifth-year option, and he’s scheduled to become a free agent after the 2022 campaign. If he continues to struggle with injuries, his market could look a lot different than what it would have a few years ago. 

Big Blue enters Monday’s game with a 3-6 record, sitting fourth place in the NFC East. They’ll need Barkley to be healthy moving forward, and the star running back believes he can return to the player he once was.

“I still believe I’m capable of the things that I’ve shown on the field before, so when I’m able to make those plays, when those plays come to me, make those plays and don’t force anything and take it one day at a time,” Barkley said. “That’s really the only thing I can do. Those are my expectations. Take it one day at a time, be a leader that I am, and be the playmaker that I know I can be and know that I will be.”