ARLINGTON, Texas — Saquon Barkley’s right knee is no longer his primary injury concern.
The Giants star running back injured his left ankle in the first quarter Sunday of a 44-20 loss to the Cowboys and was quickly ruled out of the game with what at least one medical expert fears is torn ligaments. Barkley’s ankle is not broken, according to sources.
Barkley, who had two carries for 9 yards, was overthrown on a pass over the middle from Daniel Jones. With his head turned in the other direction, Barkley stepped on Cowboys cornerback Jourdan Lewis’ foot as he slowed up on his route, then stumbled into teammate Kadarius Toney and fell to the ground with his ankle in an awkward position.
Barkley hobbled off the field, sat on the bench for a few minutes in obvious pain as trainers looked him over, and ultimately was loaded onto the cart to return to the locker room. He was first ruled questionable to return but that was quickly changed, which usually is an indication of a severe injury.
The FOX broadcast showed an image of Barkley’s bare foot with immediate heavy swelling. At that point, Dr. David Chao — the former team physician for the Chargers — estimated from afar that it is a “significant lateral inversion ankle sprain.”
“Swelling is common when the shoe is removed,” wrote Chao, whose ProFootballDoc.com site is widely respected within the league. “First-time ankle sprains cause more damage. Not as bad as [a] high ankle sprain but difficult to return given at least a Grade 2 [of 3] sprain, which means tearing of lateral ligaments.”
Barkley missed three games with a high ankle sprain in 2019 but wasn’t himself for the next five when he averaged 4 yards per carry or fewer week after week. Since then, Barkley missed 14 games last season with the knee injury and now is in jeopardy of going on the shelf for the third time in a four-year career.
The ankle injury comes just as Barkley looked like himself — a decisive cutback runner — in his return from last October’s surgery on a torn ACL and partially torn meniscus.
Devontae Booker, who was a healthy scratch in Week 3, scored both of the Giants’ touchdowns (one rushing, one receiving), but averaged just 2.5 yards per carry. The Giants signed Booker to a two-year, $5.5 million contract on the first day of free agency — more accomplished running backs signed for less later in the offseason — as an insurance policy against Barkley’s knee. Now he might be called upon because of Barkley’s ankle.
