Giant Optimism For Saquan

 

By Andrew Rosario

 

Last week after the dust settled second year head coach Joe Judge blasted his team for having a near all out riot after their first full team scrimmage. While attempting to break up the melee, quarterback Daniel Jones ended up on the bottom of the pile. He could have been seriously injured. Judge then was heard ripping into the team and as punishment made them do laps and push-ups. Said Judge, “l threw the entire team out of practice. We had two more periods practice. Those things robbed us of an opportunity to keep preparing and robbed players reps and go complete.” 

 

 

Since then there have been no flare-up as Big Blue continues to get ready for their first pre-season game against the New York Jets Saturday, August 14th. The focus has been whether or not running back Saquan Barkley will take the field for the first time since undergoing knee surgery (torn ACL and MCL) in only the second game last year against the Chicago Bears. Barkley returned to practice this past Monday in a limited role as the team held him back from live drills. Barkley did however show cutting skills and caught several passes coming out of the backfield. 

 

 

Barkley met with media after the practice concluded and talked about the posssibility of being in the backfield in week 1 when they host the Denver Broncos Sunday, September 12th. “I don’t know, we’ll see,” he began. “Whenever I’m able to get out there, make sure I’m 100% not just for the safety and health of myself and well being but just so l can go out and compete at a high level and show the world who Saquan is again.”

 

Judge and the rest of the training staff is paying close attention to the progress Barkley is making. The two talk and meet constantly. “He’s in my office all the time,” said Judge of Saquan who attempts to convince Judge of letting him do different drills. “You already know that’s not going to be permitted,” he told Barkley. “We gotta back off a little bit.”

 

The success of the team will depend on how healthy Saquan Barkley can be and how much he can contribute not only rushing the ball but catching it out of the backfield. He showed what he could do in his rookie season. Judge and the Giants would gladly take a repeat season this year.