The New York Giants believe running back Saquon Barkley sprained his ankle during Sunday's 31-28 comeback win over the Arizona Cardinals, according to NFL insider Jordan Schultz.
Jordan Schultz @Schultz_ReportSources: X-Rays on Saquon Barkley's ankle came back negative (meaning nothing is broken). <br><br>The next big step: I'm told the <a href="">#Giants</a>' star RB will have an MRI tomorrow. <br><br>Again, the team believes Barkley didn't suffer a serious injury, but the MRI will be its final confirmation. <a href="">
Ian Rapoport @RapSheetFrom <a href="">@GMFB</a>: <a href="">#Giants</a> RB Saquon Barkley will have more tests on his injured ankle today, but there is cautious optimism going in… <a href="">
That report comes after Barkley underwent X-rays after the game.
Jordan Raanan @JordanRaananSaquon Barkley had an x-ray on his right ankle after the game. He limped around the locker room and it was a bit swollen. Clearly he had some pain and discomfort.<br><br>This is definitely a concern for the Giants and Barkley moving forward, especially with a short turnaround this week…
Injuries have become a major storyline in Barkley's career. A high-ankle sprain cost him three games in the 2019 season, while a torn ACL ended his season after just two games in 2020. Ankle issues limited him in 2021 as well.
When healthy, the 26-year-old is one of the most dangerous weapons in football. He was the 2018 Offensive Rookie of the Year after rushing for 1,307 yards and 11 scores, adding 91 catches for 721 yards and four touchdowns. He followed that up with 1,441 yards from scrimmage and eight scores in 2019.
He struggled in 2021, however, with just 593 rushing yards and two touchdowns in 13 games. But he rebound nicely in 2022 with 1,650 yards from scrimmage and 10 touchdowns.
Barkley is a unique offensive playmaker and a player worth building a scheme around when healthy. However, the Giants used the No. 2 overall pick on the Penn State product in the 2018 draft, which has been questioned given how many good players at the position are drafted in the later rounds.
In a league that has trended more toward backfield-by-committee philosophies, New York put a lot of eggs in the Barkley basket. And just how much the running back was worth to the Giants became a major point of contention this offseason when the team placed the franchise tag on him and he held out until August while seeking a long-term deal.
He ultimately signed a reworked one-year deal that gave him a slight potential raise on the franchise tag.
If Barkley is forced to miss additional time with this latest injury—a possibility given the short week, with New York traveling to San Francisco on Thursday to face the dangerous 49ers—look for Matt Breida to serve as the team's starting running back.
