Report: Saquon Barkley expected to return Monday vs. Buccaneers after ankle injury
Unless there is a last-minute issue, Saquon Barkley will take the field on Monday night at Raymond James Stadium.
The New York Giants running back is expected to play in the “Monday Night Football” matchup with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after missing four straight games with an ankle injury, according to ESPN’s Jordan Raanan.
Barkley has been sidelined since he rolled his ankle against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 5. Barkley stepped on the foot of Cowboys cornerback Jourdan Lewis in the first quarter of that game at AT&T Stadium, and his ankle swelled up huge almost instantly. He was carted off the field, and hasn’t played since.
The Giants thought he’d be able to play two weeks ago against the Las Vegas Raiders, but Barkley received a false-positive COVID-19 test — which set him back a bit. So, after the bye week, he’s seemingly ready to go.
Barkley has 195 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 54 carries so far this season. The 24-year-old played in just two games last season before he tore his ACL.
Barkley officially started practicing with the Giants again last Monday, though he’s been listed as questionable all week.
After Friday’s practice, Barkley said he was feeling “pretty good” — and more than ready to prove himself after his latest injury setback.
“A lot of people say ‘Control what you can control,’ and that’s what I live by,” Barkley said Friday, via the New York Post. “I’m a big believer in, no matter what, the things that you want to accomplish, you’ve got to visualize it, you’ve got to work for it.
"All the things I want to obtain are still out there for me to obtain. Just because you have a little adversity doesn’t mean you have to start listening to all the noise.”
