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TEMPE, Ariz. — New York Giants coach Brian Daboll refused to rule out Saquon Barkley regardless of an ankle damage his star working again suffered in Sunday’s 31-28 victory over the Arizona Cardinals.

The Giants play the San Francisco 49ers on Thursday night time.

When a reported steered that Barkley would miss time, Daboll minimize him off.

“I would not rely on that,” he stated. “Not simply but.”

When pressed on whether or not Barkley would a minimum of miss Thursday night time, he would not go there, both.

“I am not saying that he is out but,” Daboll stated when a reporter steered they’d be with out Barkley in opposition to the 49ers. “He is a fast healer. I am not saying he is in, he is out. We’ll take all of it the best way up with him to Thursday.

“However he feels lots higher [Tuesday].”

Daboll stated they’d let the choice go as much as Thursday. Barkley was projected as a “didn’t observe” on Monday, with the Giants solely holding walk-throughs in Arizona. They plan to fly to California on Wednesday.

It nonetheless stays possible that Barkley misses time due to the damage. When the prognosis got here out Monday it was steered that he was anticipated to overlook three weeks, a supply instructed ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

The Giants (1-1) do have 11 days earlier than video games after enjoying in San Francisco.

It nonetheless appears possible that Barkley misses a number of video games regardless of Daboll saying he is making “appreciable progress” and that he is a quick healer. Barkley missed three video games in 2019 with an ankle damage and 4 in 2021 with an ankle downside. Each occasions he struggled upon his return and took a number of weeks to return to his earlier type.

In his first 4 video games again from the ankle damage in 2019, Barkley averaged simply 41.25 yards per sport. In his first 4 video games again from the ankle damage in 2021, he averaged simply 46.0 yards per sport and later admitted he wasn’t himself.

It might profit the participant and group to not rush Barkley again.

“I simply say with each damage till you’re with the participant, you see the participant — you may heal slightly totally different than I heal, he may heal totally different than one other participant heals,” Daboll stated. “Once more, Saquon is lots higher than I believed he can be, or another folks thought he can be [Tuesday].

“We’ll simply take it daily with him and if he could make it, nice. If he cannot, we’ll see if he can get higher by the next week.”

The Giants have three choices at working again — Matt Breida, Gary Brightwell and Eric Grey — if Barkley misses Thursday’s contest. Breida is anticipated to step in and play the largest position. Daboll talked about this week that they’ve spent a number of seasons collectively (relationship again to their time in Buffalo) and that he “is aware of the offense.”

Breida is also essentially the most reliable possibility as a pass-blocker, which is able to possible give him a piece of passing down snaps.

Brightwell must also get some carries whereas Grey could possibly be used sporadically as a runner and pass-catcher. The rookie out of Oklahoma struggled together with his move blocking this summer time.

“The three guys we now have behind Saquon, they’re all right here for a motive. We’re comfy with all these guys, whether or not that’s run or move. … We now have confidence in them.”