Giants to include Saquon Barkley in live drills, Kyle Rudolph to return Wednesday

The Giants expect to further ramp running back Saquon Barkley up ahead of their third and final preseason game this Sunday.

Great news on the injury front coming out of East Rutherford (well, technically Foxborough, where the Giants are currently partaking in joint practices with the Patriots).

ESPN’s Jordan Raanan reports that while Saquon Barkley won’t be practicing Wednesday for personal reasons, the team plans to include the running back in live drills Thursday.

It’s unclear if he’ll see any playing time when the Giants play their “dress rehearsal” third and final preseason game this Sunday against New England.

Saquon Barkley will not be at Wednesday's joint practice with Patriots as he attends to a personal matter, per sources. Expected to rejoin #Giants Thursday in Foxboro where plan is get him going in live drills. This isn't expected to set Barkley back. Still possible ready Week 1.

— Jordan Raanan (@JordanRaanan) August 25, 2021

The Giants just activated Barkley off the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list earlier this month. If he isn’t good to go Week 1 against Denver (Sunday, Sept. 12), the Giants employ Devontae Booker, who impressed in Sunday’s preseason loss to Cleveland. Booker, who signed a two-year deal in March, would most likely be the starter in Saquon’s absence.

Also, the team has announced tight end Kyle Rudolph passed his physical and will begin practicing Wednesday. Rudolph was previously on the PUP list after undergoing offseason foot surgery.

The veteran signed a two-year, $12 million deal with Big Blue in March and is expected to be one of the top tight ends on the roster alongside Evan Engram.

Like with Barkley, it’s unknown whether Rudolph will take the field for Sunday’s preseason finale.

Additional issues still remain

It isn’t completely perfect on the injury front when it comes to the Giants offensive unit though.

Wide receiver Kenny Golladay is still nursing a hamstring injury while first-round receiver Kadarius Toney aggravated an injury in the week leading up to the team’s first preseason game back on Aug. 14.

Toney, overall, has undergone a weird start to his NFL career, having found himself on the Reserve/COVID-19 list last month.