Getty Giants running back Saquon Barkley took a big step towards being ready for Week 1.
The Giants’ dream of having star running back Saquon Barkley for their Week 1 matchup with the Denver Broncos on September 12 is starting to look more realistic.
On Thursday, before the team hit the practice field, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reported that the Giants were optimistic that Barkley would be ready for their first game of the regular season, and that he has a “strong chance to play.” While Fowler also said that the team is going to be extra cautious and could still hold him back, Barkley has checked all the boxes he needed in order to get back on the field in meaningful games.
#Giants RB Saquon Barkley is trending in the right direction and has a strong chance to play Week 1 against Denver, per source. Team won’t decide until next week and has been cautious so could still hold him back. But there is optimism. Barkley tore his ACL in Week 2 of 2020.
As head coach Joe Judge told reporters, Barkley first had to experience live contact in practice, before the Giants put him in regular-season game action.
Well, fast forward to Thursday afternoon, and Barkley finally experienced said contact from his teammates in the form of light hitting during practice. What’s even more significant about this is, it is the first time Barkley has endured live contact since tearing his ACL in Week 2 of the 2020 season.
Afterwards, Barkley came away unscathed, which is a great sign for both the tailback and the Giants as a whole.
Does Saquon Barkley feel like his old self on the field?
“I’m a very confident player. I know whenever I get back out there, I’m going to be able to be who I am”
“Within a normal practice, safely … they gave me some good shots,” Barkley told reporters. “It’s in pass protection, route-running, just to get me back in the flow of things.”
Wide receivers Kenny Golladay and Kadarius Toney, along with tight end Kyle Rudolph also participated in padded practice today. Their statuses are beginning to look more promising for Week 1 as well.
Tight end Evan Engram (calf) also worked in full pads with the training staff off to the side during practice, per Art Stapleton of The Bergen Record.
The latest Giants news straight to your inbox! Subscribe to the Heavy on Giants newsletter here!
Sign up for the Heavy on Giants Newsletter!
Giants Re-Sign Promising WR
While most fans were in shambles after the team cut preseason standout wide receiver David Sills, he was luckily able to clear waivers. This led to the Giants re-signing Sills to their practice squad.
The 6”4 big bodied wideout has showcased his play making ability this summer, which gave him a strong chance to crack the 53-man roster.
However, the Giants instead went with fellow receiver C.J. Board due to the fact that he is a strong contributor on special teams.
Following an impressive camp last summer, the Giants placed Sills on injured reserve for the entirety of the 2020 season. Now, they have him as a potential depth option as they were fortunate enough to re-sign him to their practice squad.
While the Giants’ skill players finally look to be getting healthy, Sills would be an intriguing replacement candidate if anyone should go down due to injury during the season.
Throughout the 2021 preseason, Sills caught seven passes for 94 yards and a touchdown.
Roster Moves
With all the roster shuffling that has gone on this week as the Giants were forced to trim down to 53 players, wide receiver C.J. Board and long snapper Casey Kreiter were both released as procedural moves, before being re-signed and given spots on the active squad.
Both players are expected to play a pivotal role on special teams again this year.
Regarding wide receiver John Ross and defensive end Elerson Smith, they both landed on injured reserve to start the year.
The Giants took a flier on Ross during the offseason, a former 2017 first-round pick of the Cincinnati Bengals at No. 9 overall, who has devastating speed. Unfortunately, he will now miss the first three games of the season at a minimum.
READ NEXT
- ‘Young Megatron’: Giants Add NFL’s Tallest Wide Receiver
- Analyst Links Giants to 3-Time Pro Bowl Quarterback
- Giants Fan Favorite WR & Ex-Starter Released
- Giants Predicted to Cut Breakout Wide Receiver
For more Giants content, follow @ragazzoreport on Twitter.