Inside why NY Giants’ brass in no hurry to rush Saquon Barkley back

It sure doesn’t sound like the NY Giants are going to rush star running back Saquon Barkley back onto the field as he continues to rehab a torn ACL 

NY Giants running back Saquon Barkley is used to defying odds and timetables.

When Barkley suffered a high-ankle sprain in 2019, he made it back in three weeks time, easily beating the most optimistic projections for his return. However, Barkley might not have a choice but to be patient in his bid to return from a torn ACL suffered in Week 2 of the 2020 campaign.

“Whenever we get him out there,” NY Giants head coach Joe Judge told FanSided during a wide-ranging phone conversation. “We’ll know that he’s ready to go, and that he will be a strength for our team.”

Barkley begins training camp on the PUP list, but has been rehabbing behind the scenes both at the team facility and on his own, ahead of what could prove to be a pivotal season in terms of his future with the Giants — after the organization picked up his fifth-year option this spring.

“He’s been doing a great job since day one of working,” Judge says. “He’s made a lot of gains throughout this spring and summer. I know he’s anxious to get back on the field, but the one thing we really need to know and do is take the long-term vision with him.

“That’s long-term for this season, that when we get him out there we can keep him out there, and long-term for his career … He’s still a young player and ultimately we have to do what’s best for him and what’s best for the team.”

Could Saquon Barkley miss all of NY Giants training camp?

It’s entirely possible that Barkley’s first action this season will be Week 1 against the Denver Broncos, which would be 51 weeks time since he was carried off Soldier Field by Judge and his teammates after suffering the injury.

Barkley has been coy about any timetable to return.

"“I don’t know,” Barkley told reporters last week during an appearance at his youth football camp. “I’ve been asked a lot ­­– I guess that’s the theme of this summer is when I’m going to be back. But I don’t have an answer, to be honest. Not trying to lead up to it or build something up. I don’t have an answer. It’s a fun process, but it’s a tough process at the same time, so just got to continue to listen to my body, listen to the trainers, listen to the coaches and just take it day by day.”"

There’s no question that Barkley is one of the NY Giants’ most important players, and one of the most gifted at his position across the NFL.

Which is exactly why Judge and the NY Giants appear to have no intent to rush Barkley back before he is ready.

Barkley also has plenty of incentive not to take the field before he, and doctors believe he is back to full strength. Barkley has no long-term security tied beyond 2022 and will likely seek a contract that makes him one of the highest-paid running backs the league. That type of deal is significantly harder to come by, if he is coming off of three injury-shortened seasons.

For Judge and the NY Giants, the organization’s approach to Barkley doesn’t appear to differ from how the staff handled injuries last season. Especially after quarterback Daniel Jones struggled to protect himself upon returning from ankle and hamstring injuries late last season.

“We want to make sure we aren’t putting any player out there before they’re fully ready to go,” Judge explained. “That they can go out there to play fast, confident, and aggressive, and most importantly, protect themselves against opponents.

“In a perfect world, we’d have every player on our team out there right now. The reality is, everybody’s on different timetables, and we’re going to afford them whatever timetables we need to get their body ready.”

Matt Lombardo is FanSided’s National NFL Insider and writes Between The Hash Marks each Wednesday. Email Matt: Matt.Lombardo@FanSided.com, Follow Matt on Twitter: @MattLombardoNFL