New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley took a few steps forward this week in his recovery from a high-ankle sprain but it wasn’t enough to get him back onto the field.
NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport reports that Barkley is not expected to play against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday.
The #Giants are not expected to have RB Saquon Barkley in today's game against the #Dolphins, sources say. Still dealing with that high-ankle sprain, it doesn't appear he's quite ready. But closer.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 8, 2023
Barkley suffered the sprain during a Week 2 game against the Arizona Cardinals and has missed each game since. He’s now missed a combined 25 games since 2019 (one of those was a healthy scratch).
“Each day it gets better,” Barkley told reporters this week. “It’s a tough injury.
“Definitely able to do a lot more this week. Definitely can feel improvements, feel a lot better than what I was in this moment, in this spot than I was last week. But just keep chipping away.”
Head coach Brian Daboll has labeled Barkley a game-time decision in each of the previous two weeks but they’ve never even made it that far. He’s been declared out prior to pregame warmups, indicating he may still be a couple of weeks away from returning.
Earlier this offseason, Barkley held out from the Giants in search of a new long-term contract, but general manager Joe Schoen drew a line in the sand and would not cross it. The former first-round pick eventually settled for a modified franchise tender with added incentives for production, team wins and a playoff appearance.
[lawrence-related id=716850,716840,716838]
Follow the Giants Wire Podcast:
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts