New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley. Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports

Giants RB Saquon Barkley returns to practice

By Zac Wassink | Last updated 8/9/21

New York Giants fans didn't have to wait long to catch glimpses of star running back Saquon Barkley in action on Monday.

Hours after reports surfaced the Giants were activating Barkley off the physically unable to perform list, the 24-year-old made his official return to the practice field as he continues his recovery from the torn ACL he suffered last September:

There he is @saquon | #TogetherBlue pic.twitter.com/9Fc8H8LL1f
— New York Giants (@Giants) August 9, 2021

According to Dan Salomone of the club's website, head coach Joe Judge told reporters Barkley will mostly participate in individual drills over the first half of the week. Both Judge and Barkley have been noncommittal about the ball-carrier's availability for the season opener against the Denver Broncos on Sept. 12, and Judge offered no real update on the situation on Monday:

Joe Judge said this doesn’t change anything with Saquon’s timetable to return to games. They’re going to continue to be patient and wait for the green light from the medical staff.
— Dan Salomone (@Dan_Salomone) August 9, 2021

It's been widely reported Barkley will sit through the preseason, and Jordan Raanan of ESPN reported in June the Giants could hold their RB1 out all of September. Barkley went down to the knee injury on Sept. 20 of last year but didn't undergo surgery to repair the issue until late October.

Big Blue begins the preseason versus the New York Jets this coming Saturday.

Zac Wassink is a football and futbol aficionado who is a PFWA member and is probably yelling about Tottenham Hotspur at the moment. Erik Lamela and Eli Manning apologist. Chanted for Matt Harvey to start the ninth inning of Game 5 of the 2015 World Series at Citi Field. Whoops. You can find him on Twitter at @ZacWassink.

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