TEMPE, Ariz. – Saquon Barkley needed assistance to leave the field Sunday when the star running back suffered a sprained ankle late in the Giants' stirring 31-28 victory against the Arizona Cardinals, and players who spoke publicly Monday conceded they will be prepared to play without him when they face the 2-0 49ers on Thursday.
"I think obviously we'll miss him," quarterback Daniel Jones said. "He's a huge part of what we're doing. Guys will have to step up, and it won't be any one guy. It'll be everyone elevating their play and stepping up, and I'm confident we can do that. We have lots of guys who can step in and do different things and help out."
"I mean, it's tough," linebacker Bobby Okereke said. "(Defensive coordinator) Wink (Martindale) will always say he's our best defensive player because when he's on the field running the ball, we are on the sideline. Saquon is an incredible leader, this team is going to miss him, but we also have a 'next man up' mentality. Everybody has to in this league. We will do what we can to get prepared for this next game."
"I think he's doing alright," Jones said of his conversations with Barkley. "He's a mature guy. Obviously, he's disappointed and I feel for him on that, but he's going to work hard to get back. Yeah, he'll be back."
Coach Brian Daboll spoke to the media as Barkley was undergoing further examination Monday morning in Tempe.
"Whatever it is, we'll have a plan ready to go," Daboll said. "If he can play, he can play and if he can't, then we'll have the other guys prepared and ready to go."
The Giants have three other running backs on their roster in veteran Matt Breida, third-year pro Gary Brightwell and rookie Eric Gray, who has yet to play an offensive snap.
"I think all the running backs that we have on the roster, that's why they are on the roster, because we are confident in them," Daboll said.
As he so often is, Barkley was one of the Giants' primary catalysts as they overcame a 28-7 third-quarter deficit to earn their first victory of the season. He scored touchdowns on a one-yard run and a nine-yard reception and led the team in both rushing (63 yards) and receiving (six catches, tying him with tight end Darren Waller).
Last year, Barkley did not miss a game due to injury for the first time since his 2018 Rookie of the Year season and helped lead the Giants to the playoffs with a career-high 1,312 rushing yards.
But with 1:08 remaining yesterday, the Giants were driving for the game-winning field goal when Barkley's right lower leg bent awkwardly under a pileup after a two-yard gain. He was helped off the field and when he reached the Giants' bench, slammed his helmet to the ground in frustration.
This is the latest in Barkley's painful litany of injuries, which includes an ankle in 2019 and 2021 and a torn ACL that cost him virtually the entire 2020 season. Now he will miss an undetermined amount of time.
"Obviously, having him with us, that's what we want, but things happen," safety Xavier McKinney said. "It's a part of the NFL. Obviously, we don't want to see guys get injured, but it's a part of it, unfortunately. We've just got to push through it. Part of an NFL season is pushing through adversity whenever you get it, so that's what we'll be looking to do."
The Giants still have numerous talented ballhandlers, including wide receivers Darius Slayton, Parris Campbell, Isaiah Hodgins and Jalin Hyatt, plus Waller, who said Barkley's absence won't necessarily put more pressure on the players to produce in the passing game.
"I still think it requires a healthy level of balance with any offense," Waller said. "I believe in Breida, G.B. (Brightwell), guys like that that are going to step up. E.G., (Gray). Guys that have made plays since April, that are going to come in and offer that. You can't just drop back every time. You've got to have some level of balance, and I believe in those guys to hold up their end of the bargain. Whatever's required of us in the passing game, we'll be willing to do."
Jones expressed confidence the offense will operate at a high level of efficiency.
"I think we'll have things in the game plan and certain ways to get guys in different spots and use their skillsets," Jones said. "So, my job is the same, it's to execute and to give the playmakers the ball in space and let them do their thing. I don't think it changes my mindset or how I need to do my job or execute the offense."
Breida is expected to get most of the rushing attempts. He is a seven-year veteran and second-year Giant who is in his third season in the offensive system, having played for the Buffalo Bills in 2021 when Daboll was their offensive coordinator. Ironically, his first three seasons and most of his career carries were with San Francisco from 2017-19. Breida has played in 83 regular-season games with 20 starts and has 523 rushing attempts for 2,515 yards and eight touchdowns, plus 104 receptions for 844 yards and six scores.
"I've been with Matt for quite some time," Daboll said. "He knows our system; he's prepared every week as if he was the starter and that's what they all need to do. I'd say all three of the guys work really hard and prepare as if they are going to play an entire game."
"He's extremely dependable," Jones said of Breida. "He's an explosive runner, he's got the speed, the breakaway speed, and he's just always doing the right thing. Just a guy you can count on to step up and play well. Last year he played really well and then this year in spots he's played well, so a guy you can definitely count on."
In their immediate future, the Giants must do exactly that.
View photos from the Giants' 31-28 comeback victory over the Cardinals in Glendale.


RB Saquon Barkley (26)

ILB Micah McFadden (41)

K Graham Gano (9)

DT DJ Davidson (98), DL Rakeem Nunez-Roches Sr (93)

K Graham Gano (9)

RB Saquon Barkley (26), C John Michael Schmitz Jr. (61)

TE Daniel Bellinger (82), RB Saquon Barkley (26)

RB Saquon Barkley (26)

RB Saquon Barkley (26)

RB Saquon Barkley (26), TE Daniel Bellinger (82)

RB Saquon Barkley (26)

RB Gary Brightwell (23), RB Saquon Barkley (26)

RB Saquon Barkley (26)

QB Daniel Jones (8)

P Jamie Gillan (6)

OL Marcus McKethan (60), C John Michael Schmitz Jr. (61)

OL Marcus McKethan (60), C John Michael Schmitz Jr. (61)

TE Darren Waller (12)

DL A'Shawn Robinson (91)

ILB Micah McFadden (41), ILB Bobby Okereke (58)

QB Daniel Jones (8)

RB Saquon Barkley (26)

RB Saquon Barkley (26), C John Michael Schmitz Jr. (61)

TE Darren Waller (12)

DL Rakeem Nunez-Roches Sr (93)

RB Saquon Barkley (26), C John Michael Schmitz Jr. (61)

WR Jalin Hyatt (13)

OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux (5)

OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux (5)

DL Rakeem Nunez-Roches Sr (93)

OL Joshua Ezeudu (75)


NT Dexter Lawrence II (97)

S Xavier McKinney (29)

OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux (5)

QB Daniel Jones (8)

ILB Micah McFadden (41)

QB Daniel Jones (8)

ILB Carter Coughlin (52)

QB Daniel Jones (8)

DL A'Shawn Robinson (91), NT Dexter Lawrence II (97), OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux (5)

P Jamie Gillan (6)

QB Daniel Jones (8)

RB Saquon Barkley (26)

OLB Boogie Basham (45)

DL Rakeem Nunez-Roches Sr (93), DT DJ Davidson (98)

WR Parris Campbell (0)

RB Saquon Barkley (26)

QB Daniel Jones (8)

C John Michael Schmitz Jr. (61), QB Daniel Jones (8), WR Darius Slayton (86), G Ben Bredeson (68)

C John Michael Schmitz Jr. (61), QB Daniel Jones (8), WR Darius Slayton (86), G Ben Bredeson (68)

C John Michael Schmitz Jr. (61), QB Daniel Jones (8), WR Darius Slayton (86), G Ben Bredeson (68)

WR Isaiah Hodgins (18), TE Darren Waller (12)

.QB Daniel Jones (8), TE Darren Waller (12)

WR Isaiah Hodgins (18), TE Darren Waller (12)

WR Isaiah Hodgins (18)

WR Isaiah Hodgins (18), TE Darren Waller (12)

WR Isaiah Hodgins (18)

RB Saquon Barkley (26)

RB Saquon Barkley (26)

RB Saquon Barkley (26)

RB Saquon Barkley (26), TE Darren Waller (12)

RB Saquon Barkley (26)

RB Saquon Barkley (26)

RB Saquon Barkley (26)

QB Daniel Jones (8)

RB Saquon Barkley (26)

QB Daniel Jones (8)

RB Saquon Barkley (26)

QB Daniel Jones (8)

TE Darren Waller (12)

QB Daniel Jones (8)

QB Daniel Jones (8)

QB Daniel Jones (8)

TE Darren Waller (12)

QB Daniel Jones (8)

QB Daniel Jones (8)

RB Saquon Barkley (26)

WR Darius Slayton (86)

RB Saquon Barkley (26)

CB Deonte Banks (25), OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux (5), NT Dexter Lawrence II (97), ILB Micah McFadden (41)

WR Darius Slayton (86)

S/ILB Isaiah Simmons (19), ILB Bobby Okereke (58)

S/ILB Isaiah Simmons (19), ILB Bobby Okereke (58)

ILB Bobby Okereke (58)

QB Daniel Jones (8)

ILB Bobby Okereke (58), S/ILB Isaiah Simmons (19)

ILB Micah McFadden (41), RB Eric Gray (20), S Dane Belton (24)

ILB Bobby Okereke (58), S/ILB Isaiah Simmons (19)

QB Daniel Jones (8)

WR Jalin Hyatt (13)

OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux (5)

WR Jalin Hyatt (13)

ILB Bobby Okereke (58)

WR Jalin Hyatt (13)

WR Jalin Hyatt (13)

ILB Bobby Okereke (58), OLB Jihad Ward (55)

TE Darren Waller (12)

TE Darren Waller (12)

TE Darren Waller (12)

RB Saquon Barkley (26)

RB Saquon Barkley (26)

RB Saquon Barkley (26)

TE Darren Waller (12)

S Jason Pinnock (27)

RB Saquon Barkley (26)

C John Michael Schmitz Jr. (61), G Ben Bredeson (68)

DL Leonard Williams (99)

RB Saquon Barkley (26)

DL Leonard Williams (99)

S Jason Pinnock (27), ILB Bobby Okereke (58)

WR Isaiah Hodgins (18)

QB Daniel Jones (8)

OLB Oshane Ximines (53)

DL Leonard Williams (99)

LS Casey Kreiter (59)

RB Saquon Barkley (26)

QB Daniel Jones (8)

WR Isaiah Hodgins (18)

LS Casey Kreiter (59), OLB Oshane Ximines (53)

S Xavier McKinney (29)

OL Joshua Ezeudu (75)

RB Saquon Barkley (26)

WR Isaiah Hodgins (18)

DL Rakeem Nunez-Roches Sr (93)

RB Saquon Barkley (26)

TE Darren Waller (12)

RB Saquon Barkley (26)

TE Darren Waller (12)

RB Taiwan Jones (36)

QB Daniel Jones (8)

S Xavier McKinney (29)

TE Darren Waller (12)

OLB Jihad Ward (55), CB Adoree' Jackson (22), OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux (5), NT Dexter Lawrence II (97), DL Rakeem Nunez-Roches Sr (93), DL A'Shawn Robinson (91)

ILB Cam Brown (47)

OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux (5)

QB Daniel Jones (8)

TE Darren Waller (12)

QB Daniel Jones (8)

P Jamie Gillan (6), OL Joshua Ezeudu (75)

TE Darren Waller (12)

TE Darren Waller (12)

QB Daniel Jones (8)

TE Darren Waller (12)

TE Darren Waller (12)

WR Darius Slayton (86)

QB Daniel Jones (8)

QB Daniel Jones (8)

QB Daniel Jones (8)

WR Darius Slayton (86)

QB Daniel Jones (8)

WR Darius Slayton (86)

WR Darius Slayton (86)

WR Darius Slayton (86)

ILB Bobby Okereke (58)

ILB Bobby Okereke (58)

ILB Bobby Okereke (58)

QB Daniel Jones (8)


TE Darren Waller (12), QB Daniel Jones (8)

TE Darren Waller (12), QB Daniel Jones (8)

WR Jalin Hyatt (13)

WR Jalin Hyatt (13)

WR Jalin Hyatt (13)

WR Jalin Hyatt (13)

P Jamie Gillan (6)

C John Michael Schmitz Jr. (61), G Ben Bredeson (68), QB Daniel Jones (8)

WR Jalin Hyatt (13)

QB Daniel Jones (8)

WR Jalin Hyatt (13)

C John Michael Schmitz Jr. (61), G Ben Bredeson (68), QB Daniel Jones (8)

P Jamie Gillan (6)

DL A'Shawn Robinson (91)

OL Joshua Ezeudu (75)

OL Joshua Ezeudu (75)

OL Joshua Ezeudu (75), K Graham Gano (9)

TE Darren Waller (12), WR Isaiah Hodgins (18)

WR Isaiah Hodgins (18)

TE Darren Waller (12), WR Isaiah Hodgins (18)

DL A'Shawn Robinson (91), DT DJ Davidson (98)

Brian Daboll Head Coach, QB Daniel Jones (8)

Brian Daboll Head Coach

Brian Daboll Head Coach, QB Daniel Jones (8)

Brian Daboll Head Coach

Brian Daboll Head Coach, QB Daniel Jones (8)

QB Daniel Jones (8)

TE Darren Waller (12), QB Daniel Jones (8)

QB Daniel Jones (8)

Brian Daboll Head Coach

QB Daniel Jones (8), TE Darren Waller (12)

Brian Daboll Head Coach

Brian Daboll Head Coach

K Graham Gano (9), Brian Daboll Head Coach

WR Sterling Shepard (3)

OLB Oshane Ximines (53), TE Darren Waller (12)


CB Deonte Banks (25)

OLB Oshane Ximines (53)

OLB Jihad Ward (55)

OLB Boogie Basham (45)

OLB Oshane Ximines (53)

DL Rakeem Nunez-Roches Sr (93)

RB Gary Brightwell (23)

RB Matt Breida (31)

TE Darren Waller (12)

QB Daniel Jones (8), RB Saquon Barkley (26)

S/ILB Isaiah Simmons (19)

Brian Daboll Head Coach

WR Sterling Shepard (3)

WR Parris Campbell (0)

ILB Bobby Okereke (58), S/ILB Isaiah Simmons (19), ILB Micah McFadden (41)

ILB Bobby Okereke (58), S/ILB Isaiah Simmons (19), ILB Micah McFadden (41)

RB Taiwan Jones (36)

WR Jalin Hyatt (13)

S Xavier McKinney (29), RB Taiwan Jones (36), S/ILB Isaiah Simmons (19)

QB Daniel Jones (8)

WR Sterling Shepard (3)

QB Daniel Jones (8)

QB Daniel Jones (8)

QB Daniel Jones (8)

QB Daniel Jones (8)

S Xavier McKinney (29), OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux (5), RB Saquon Barkley (26), ILB Cam Brown (47)


NT Dexter Lawrence II (97), OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux (5)

CB Deonte Banks (25)

QB Daniel Jones (8)

NT Dexter Lawrence II (97), OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux (5)

S Xavier McKinney (29), OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux (5), RB Saquon Barkley (26)

G Ben Bredeson (68), C John Michael Schmitz Jr. (61), G Ben Bredeson (68)

NT Dexter Lawrence II (97), OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux (5)

S Xavier McKinney (29), OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux (5), RB Saquon Barkley (26)

TE Darren Waller (12)

S Xavier McKinney (29), OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux (5), RB Saquon Barkley (26)

S Xavier McKinney (29), ILB Bobby Okereke (58)

WR Sterling Shepard (3)

RB Saquon Barkley (26)

WR Jalin Hyatt (13)

WR Parris Campbell (0)

WR Isaiah Hodgins (18)

Brian Daboll Head Coach

WR Darius Slayton (86)

WR Parris Campbell (0)

WR Parris Campbell (0)

RB Saquon Barkley (26)

RB Saquon Barkley (26)

OL Joshua Ezeudu (75)

OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux (5)

S Jason Pinnock (27)

QB Tyrod Taylor (2)

QB Tyrod Taylor (2)

QB Daniel Jones (8)

QB Daniel Jones (8)

WR Jalin Hyatt (13)

WR Sterling Shepard (3)

WR Jalin Hyatt (13)

WR Isaiah Hodgins (18)

WR Darius Slayton (86)

RB Saquon Barkley (26)

WR Parris Campbell (0)

QB Daniel Jones (8)

QB Daniel Jones (8)

S/ILB Isaiah Simmons (19)

RB Saquon Barkley (26)

RB Eric Gray (20)

OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux (5)

OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux

QB Tyrod Taylor (2)

WR Jalin Hyatt (13)

WR Parris Campbell (0)

S Dane Belton (24)

OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux

OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux

S Dane Belton (24)

S Dane Belton (24)

QB Daniel Jones (8)

QB Daniel Jones (8), TE Darren Waller (12)

WR Isaiah Hodgins (18)

QB Daniel Jones (8)

QB Daniel Jones (8), TE Darren Waller (12)

QB Daniel Jones (8), WR Parris Campbell (0)

TE Darren Waller (12)

QB Daniel Jones (8)

WR Parris Campbell (0)

WR Isaiah Hodgins (18)

QB Daniel Jones (8)

WR Parris Campbell (0)

OL Evan Neal (73)

CB Adoree' Jackson (22)

CB Adoree' Jackson (22)

NT Dexter Lawrence II (97)

CB Cor'Dale Flott (28)

RB Taiwan Jones (36)

S Jason Pinnock (27)

S Bobby McCain (21)

S/ILB Isaiah Simmons (19)

OL Matt Peart (74)

S/ILB Isaiah Simmons (19)

S/ILB Isaiah Simmons (19)

CB Tre Hawkins III (37)

QB Daniel Jones (8)

QB Daniel Jones (8)

K Graham Gano (9)

OLB Boogie Basham (45)

S Xavier McKinney (29)

S Xavier McKinney (29)

OLB Boogie Basham (45)

S Xavier McKinney (29)

OLB Oshane Ximines (53)

CB Deonte Banks (25)

ILB Micah McFadden (41)

CB Deonte Banks (25)

OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux (5)

TE Lawrence Cager (83)

RB Eric Gray (20)

TE Darren Waller (12)

TE Darren Waller (12)

ILB Cam Brown (47)

RB Gary Brightwell (23)

WR Dennis Houston (88)

CB Nick McCloud (44)

CB Nick McCloud (44)

NT Dexter Lawrence II (97)

DL Leonard Williams (99)

NT Dexter Lawrence II (97)