Saquon Barkley Rumors: Giants RB Expected to Miss 2-3 Weeks With Ankle Injury
September 18, 2023
New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley will miss two to three weeks with a sprained right ankle, per multiple reports.
Jordan Schultz @Schultz_ReportSources: Saquon Barkley's MRI confirmed that he has a sprained right ankle and will miss 2-3 weeks.<br><br>The <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Giants?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Giants</a>' Pro Bowl RB has avoided a serious injury. <a href="https://t.co/OItD3Qmw1e">https://t.co/OItD3Qmw1e</a>
Barkley suffered the injury late in New York's Week 2 win over the Arizona Cardinals. He had to be helped off the field with just over a minute left in the game and he was taken for X-rays. Per Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio, Barkley was "walking OK" after the game.
Barkley was instrumental in New York's win over Arizona, which saw the team rally from deficits of 20-0 and 28-7 for a 31-28 victory. He ran for a touchdown and caught another, and he had a late run that helped set up a go-ahead field goal by Graham Gano.
It was a strong bounce-back game for Barkley after he opened the season with just 51 rushing yards in a 40-0 loss to the Dallas Cowboys.
The 26-year-old is coming off a 2022 campaign that saw him rush for 1,312 yards and 10 touchdowns on 295 carries. He also recorded 57 catches for 338 yards. Despite being the focal point of the Giants offense, he wasn't signed to a long-term extension and will become a free agent after this season after agreeing to a one-year deal worth up to $11 million.
Any injury to Barkley is concerning considering his history. He suffered an ankle injury in 2019 and a torn ACL in 2020, and he was hampered during the 2021 season by another ankle issue.
Matt Breida and Gary Brightwell will now be the top options in the Giants backfield. New York will also likely lean more on the passing attack, led by quarterback Daniel Jones.