The New York Giants pulled off a win against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 2, but the victory came at a steep cost: the loss of star running back Saquon Barkley. In one of the game’s final moments, Barkley suffered a low tackle that trapped his ankle, forcing him to limp off the field.
The silver lining here is that, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Barkley is expected to be out for just three weeks due to an ankle sprain.
Saquon Barkley’s Season Stats and Financial Standing
Barkley, the 26-year-old powerhouse, has accumulated 114 total rushing yards over the first two weeks of the season, along with 41 receiving yards and a pair of touchdowns.
During the past offseason, he was eyeing a long-term contract extension. However, the Giants, led by General Manager Joe Schoen, were reluctant to lock him into a multi-year deal, owing to injury concerns. Consequently, Barkley inked a one-year franchise tag deal worth $10.1 million, complete with performance incentives.
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GM’s Injury Concerns Validated: What This Means for the Giants
While Barkley’s recent ankle issue doesn’t seem to have long-term implications, it could nevertheless impact his performance for the remainder of the season—a troubling prospect for the Giants. The team heavily leans on Barkley to bolster its ground game, and his absence could make the upcoming stretch of difficult matchups even more daunting.
Upcoming Challenges: The Giants’ Game Plan
The New York Giants have a series of tough games on the horizon: they’ll be facing off against the San Francisco 49ers this Thursday, followed by clashes with the Seattle Seahawks, Miami Dolphins, and Buffalo Bills. The hope is for Barkley to return either for the Bills game or for the subsequent matchup against the Washington Commanders.
In his absence, the Giants’ passing game will need to step up in a major way to fill the void left by their premier running back.