Giants OC Jason Garrett: Saquon Barkley is ‘100 percent’

Saquon Barkley has made tremendous progress following his September 2020 ACL tear. Will he play this Sunday?

The most significant question surrounding the Giants organization still looms: will Saquon Barkley be active for the team’s Week 1 matchup this Sunday?

We’ve yet to receive an official answer. However, we do at least possess an idea of what to expect.

On Thursday, offensive coordinator Jason Garrett spoke on his running back and made a positive revelation (to say the least).

“A lot of confidence in him as a player. I think he’s done a great job to get himself back healthy and 100 percent,” Garrett said, per Paul Schwartz of the New York Post.

Barkley is on the right track in regard to his status for Sunday. This all comes after a meticulous ramp-up period during camp and general uncertainty of whether he would return Week 1 or potentially Week 3 (the Giants’ Week 2 matchup is just four days following their regular-season opener).

Given the major injury he just sustained less than a year ago and the brief period between the team’s first two games, Barkley may not be assuming the bulk of the load if he does take the field against Denver.

That doesn’t mean Garrett won’t utilize him the best he knows how to, though.

“Trust me, I was on the other side with this guy, and he’s one of those dynamic players, both in the running game and the passing game,” the second-year Giants OC said. “He’s one of those players who can make a 3-yard run and a 4-yard run and a 2-yard run or a 1-yard run and then he catches a screen and goes for 65 yards. We’ve lived that, trying to stop him. It’s great to have him on our side. We’ll try to give him opportunities.”

In the event Barkley isn’t a full participant Sunday, the Giants will use their present reinforcements. The team employs veteran Devontae Booker and rookie Gary Brightwell, each of whom made the final roster following decent preseason performances.