Saquon Barkley's progress may be slowed by upcoming schedule
Giants running back Saquon Barkley listens to head coach Joe Judge during training camp on Tuesday, Aug 10, 2021. Credit: Brad Penner
The Giants expect joint practices with the Browns and Patriots over the coming weeks to go a long way in preparing them for the regular season. But they may also stunt the progress of Saquon Barkley now that he has returned to the practice field.
Barkley is still limited to individual drills and a smattering of very controlled, less-than-full-speed team snaps during workouts. And the Giants are still monitoring his workload very closely. After two days on the field, Joe Judge said he will not be participating in Wednesday night’s practice at MetLife Stadium. He was already ruled out for Saturday’s preseason opener against the Jets.
On Tuesday, Judge essentially said Barkley will sit out the two practices the Giants have scheduled with the Browns next Thursday and Friday and, presumably, the preseason game against them next Sunday..
"I would not expect to see him next week in any kind of 11-on-11 or live action," Judge said.
One glaring reason is the lack of control the Giants would have with anyone who is covering or trying to hit or tackle Barkley. The last thing they need is some rookie linebacker from the Browns trying to make a name for himself by taking a heavy whack at their best player as he returns from his ACL reconstruction.
"It’s a factor with any player you have that has any kind of ailment," Judge said. "We’ve got to make sure that we can put them in a controlled setting where their safety is best."
At home, Giants-against-Giants, they can do that much better. Judge said on Monday that Barkley participated in a non-contact space drill, but before that happened he pulled veteran linebacker Blake Martinez aside.
"I told him ‘Blake, you’ve got Saquon,’ because I know these guys can work with respect and what they’re going to do against each other," Judge said. "It’s just two guys that we trust that Saquon can execute the technique, build in his rehab, get in a football movement. Blake can work what he’s going to do, and he also knows that he’s not going to do anything and make a mistake that maybe someone else would make. I’m not accusing any one of our players, but sometimes you may get someone who’s maybe a little outside their lane."
That would be even more of a threat if that someone plays for another team.
So while most of the Giants will be getting all they can from the joint workouts, Barkley will apparently be limited to drills with teammates only.
"Now that’s not a final deal," Judge said, "but I would just say based on what we know from our medical team and where [Barkley] is at in his own rehab we’re not going to try to artificially accelerate and get him involved just because of the competitive nature spiking up."
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.
