Saquon Barkley wants to be with Big Blue when Giants turn it around

Saquon Barkley wants to stick around and lead the Giants back to prominence.

The running back recorded an upcoming episode of the "AP Pro Football Podcast" on Tuesday and, according to The Associated Press, said he would like to remain a Giant for life and also offered support to coach Joe Judge’s message that things are moving in the right direction . . . if not ever so slowly and subtly.

"I plan on being a big reason why we turn this thing around," Barkley said. "That's just my mindset, that's my thought process. When I got drafted here, I said I want to be here for the rest of my life. I was born in New York, I'm from Pennsylvania. I live an hour and some change from my parents' house. This is where I started my career, where I would love to finish my career. I know this thing is going to turn around and I would love to be a part of the reason it does."

Barkley’s rookie contract with the team runs through the 2022 season as the Giants already exercised a $7.2 million option for next season.

The Giants have had five straight losing seasons, including this one in which they are currently 4-9. Barkley has been a shell of the player he was when he won Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2018 due mostly to knee and ankle injuries. As a rookie and the second overall pick he ran for 1,307 yards, had 2,028 yards from scrimmage and 15 touchdowns in 16 games. In the three seasons since he has a combined 1,416 rushing yards, 2,138 yards from scrimmage and 12 touchdowns in 24 games.

After Sunday’s loss to the Chargers, Barkley said he felt more explosive than he has since he injured his ankle Oct. 10 against the Cowboys. He ran for a modest but season-high 64 yards and scored his first touchdown since Oct. 3. He said on Tuesday’s podcast taping that upon watching film of the game he saw improvement in his play.

"I felt like my burst was there a little bit," he said. "I felt like my explosiveness is there. I just have to keep going, keep trusting in the system, keep trusting my body, keep trusting the rehab and just keep my head down to keep working."

Barkley also gave Judge a vote of confidence despite a 10-19 record over two seasons.

"I think we've bought in," Barkley said. "We have the guys that are bought in. We work. We love football. We have guys who are committed to it . . . We have just been very unfortunate as a team, as an organization, whether it's injuries or just the way we lost games. But it's all part of the building process and it's going to change at some point. And, when it does, it's going to be a beautiful story."

By Tom Rock

tom.rock@newsday.com@TomRock_Newsday

Tom Rock began covering sports for Newsday in 1996 and became its NFL columnist in 2022. He previously was Newsday's Giants beat writer beginning in 2008.