Giants QB Daniel Jones cleared to face Rams; Saquon Barkley, Kenny Golladay both out

For better or for worse, the New York Giants didn't shock anybody with their Friday injury updates ahead of Sunday's game versus the 4-1 Los Angeles Rams.

As Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk explained, quarterback Daniel Jones cleared the league's concussion protocol to start for the 1-4 Giants on Sunday just hours after head coach Joe Judge suggested to reporters his QB1 would be a full participant in practice ahead of the weekend. 

In other unsurprising news, starting running back Saquon Barkley has been ruled out because of the ankle sprain he suffered in last Sunday's 44-20 loss at the Dallas Cowboys. Wide receiver and big-money free-agent acquisition Kenny Golladay hurt his knee in Dallas and also won't take the field against the Rams. 

It's unknown if either will be available to play versus the Carolina Panthers on Oct. 24. 

Per ESPN stats, Barkley is second on the Giants behind Jones (197 yards) with 195 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 54 carries this season. The 24-year-old noted earlier this week he felt as if he had "started getting my stride back" coming off the torn ACL he suffered in September 2020 before this latest setback. 

A different ankle sprain cost Barkley three games during the 2019 campaign. 

Golladay, meanwhile, leads the team with 282 receiving yards on 17 catches. Rookie Kadarius Toney, who produced a breakout performance in Dallas and tallied 10 receptions for 189 yards in that defeat, could have his first opportunity to serve as WR1 in Golladay's absence.