All reports indicate Saquon Barkley should be ready to go by the start of the 2021 season. Joe Judge and the New York Giants aren’t going to rush him back into action, though.
According to Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post and Jordan Raanan of ESPN, the Giants are going to take things “slow” with Barkley in training camp. There’s optimism he can play in Week 1 of the 2021 season, but Judge and the New York medical staff are taking a “long-term” approach here, especially considering the surrounding circumstances.
Barkley, the No. 2 pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, went down with a season-ending injury in Week 2 of the 2020 season. A torn ACL is not a simple recovery process, and the Giants are well aware of the fact.
Though Barkley still stands a chance at playing when the Giants begin their season on Sept. 12, he will not go 100 percent when training camp kicks off on July 28.
The #Giants plan to take a “long term” approach with Saquon Barkley, coach Joe Judge told me in a 1-on-1 interview. Still a chance he’s ready for Week 1 though. More to come.
— Jordan Raanan (@JordanRaanan) July 26, 2021
My understanding from sources last week is that Saquon Barkley considers himself ready to go, medical experts are telling him his recovery is on track or ahead of expectations but #Giants will go slow, maybe not ramping him up until last 10 days of camp to get to Week 1 ready
— Ryan Dunleavy (@rydunleavy) July 26, 2021
Giants head coach Joe Judge offered further explanation on the plan for Saquon Barkley on Monday. He mentioned “long term” several times.
“We’re thinking long term with Saquon; long term in the season, long term in his career,” Judge said, via ESPN.com. “And by taking care of him individually, that is going to help our team long term as well. We’re going to make sure when we get him out there we can keep him out there.”
Barkley is one of the Giants’ core players. They need him at full health, whenever that may be.
Judge and the Giants don’t want to risk another set back in training camp.
The post Joe Judge Reveals Giants’ Approach With Saquon Barkley appeared first on The Spun.