Nearly 10 months removed from his ACL and MCL tears, Saquon Barkley may not have a smooth onramp back to his previous role. If Barkley exuding confidence about his return, he closely guarding evidence of it.

A previous report indicated the Pro Bowl running back may not be full-go by training camp and would likely be eased into regular-season work, and Barkley offered a cryptic progress assessment Thursday. After saying he is “trying to get 1% better every single day,” during an appearance on the Rich Eisen Podcast (video link), Barkley declined to say whether he expects to be ready for Week 1.

The fourth-year back also said he has not yet discussed whether he will begin training camp on the active/PUP list with the coaching staff. While Barkley was clearly trying to avoid giving much of anything away, it is not like the Giants have a near-future opponent from which to shield information. Questions about his readiness will naturally persist until he returns to full work.

Although Barkley is almost 10 months removed from the Sept. 18 injury, which also included meniscus damage, he did not undergo surgery until Oct. 29. The Giants are not expected to make Barkley a full practice participant until at least midway through training camp. Barkley attended Giants minicamp but did not participate in on-field work.

“We have to make sure that we let him get it at his pace and put him on the field, can play 100% aggressive and confident and he’s going to play safe and he can play effective,” Joe Judge said last month. “… Couldn’t be happier with how he is working, showing tremendous leadership this offseason. He’s champing at the bit to get back on the field.”

Barkley’s status will obviously be one of this year’s key training camp storylines. This will be the first training camp in which the Penn State product is eligible for an extension, though last year’s injury — after he suffered a high ankle sprain in 2019 — clouds that prospect. Barkley said in June he is not fixated on an extension taking place.

Saquon Barkley‘s rookie deal is set to expire following the 2022 season, but the Giants running back isn’t worried about a lack of an extension. When asked if he’d play the upcoming season without a new deal, the former second-overall pick made it clear that he’s only focused about what’s on the field.

[RELATED: Latest On Giants’ Saquon Barkley Plans]

“When it comes to the contract situation that’s not even something that’s crossing my mind,” Barkley said (via Pat Leonard of New York Daily News on Twitter). “I have an amazing agent. Those are things I have conversations with her about. But for me right now, the only thing I’m focusing on is coming here today, working my butt off, and trying to get as ready as I can so when I’m able to get back out there, I’m 110% and I can perform to the best of my abilities for my team.”

The 24-year-old is saying all the right things, and it’s obviously encouraging that he’s focused on his comeback vs. his next contract. However, there’s no denying that the financials aren’t at least being considered in Barkley’s camp. The running back has already dealt with his fair share of injures; a high ankle sprain forced him to miss three games in 2019, and a torn ACL limited him to only a pair of contests in 2020. Another injury would surely hurt Barkley’s earnings potential, so it makes sense to grab the money when he can.

Further, Barkley is underpaid at his position, especially for a player of his caliber. The running back has a base salary of only $850K in 2021, with the total-cash earnings (including signing bonus) valued at around $4.8MM. The Giants predictably picked up his fifth-year option, guaranteeing him $7.2MM in 2022, but even that chunk of cash would rank him ninth at his position (in average annual salary).

Barkley could easily make an argument for being paid like one of the top backs in the NFL. Following a dynamic rookie campaign that saw him finish with 2,028 yards from scrimmage and 15 touchdowns, Barkley followed that up with a sophomore campaign where he had 1,441 yards and eight scores (albeit in three fewer games). The former Pro Bowler will be looking to return to his previous form next year, and we recently heard he was rehabbing (but not participating) at OTAs.

Saquon Barkley‘s ACL tear occurred Sept. 20, 2020, but the Pro Bowl running back did not undergo surgery until late October. The Giants believe Barkley is progressing on schedule, but it will still be a bit before he returns to full work.

Barkley, who also suffered MCL and meniscus damage on that play in Chicago, is not expected to participate fully in Giants practices at the start of training camp, Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com notes. The Giants have been busy stocking their backfield this offseason, adding a host of Barkley backups through various acquisition varieties. That Devontae Booker-led contingent should be called on often come camp.

Despite Barkley having resumed sprinting and jumping, his team will play it safe. He may be given the green light for regular work near the end of camp, but Raanan adds the Giants plan to hold Barkley back a bit — usage-wise — to start the season. The Giants playing the long game with their dynamic back makes sense, with the 24-year-old talent also having suffered a notable injury — a high ankle sprain — in 2019 and with the first 17-game season approaching.

The Giants picked up Barkley’s fifth-year option and are eyeing a long-term future with the former No. 2 overall pick. That may mean Booker and whoever else makes the team behind Barkley seeing more time early this season. New York gave Booker a two-year, $6MM deal and then added Corey Clement in free agency and claimed Ryquell Armstead off waivers from the Jaguars. The Giants also drafted Gary Brightwell in the sixth round. This will be a new crew of Barkley backups, and they may be busier than expected in September.

When healthy, Saquon Barkley is one of the NFL’s premier skill-position players. But the former No. 2 overall pick is coming off a season in which he suffered a torn ACL in Week 2. The Giants are factoring that into a key decision.

GM Dave Gettleman, who bypassed the team’s need for an Eli Manning successor by taking Barkley over the likes of Sam Darnold and Josh Allen three years ago, indicated team brass had yet to come to a final decision on the running back’s fifth-year option.

“I think [his health] part of the discussion,” Gettleman said, via SNY. “Obviously we’re gonna have to make a decision this spring whether we pick up his fifth-year option. But certainly, it’s unknown, and what you have to do is get your trainer and your doctors involved.”

Barkley’s draft class will be the first group of first-rounders eligible for fully guaranteed fifth-year options, which the new CBA mandates. Previous classes eligible for the option had their fifth-year salaries guaranteed for injury only, which allowed teams to cut bait ahead of Year 5 as long as the player passed a physical. That will not be an option going forward; the Giants have until May 3 to exercise Barkley’s option.

Barkley delivered historic rookie-year production in 2018 but suffered a high ankle sprain in 2019 and missed 14 games last season. While he is progressing well from the torn ACL, the Penn State product’s outlook is a bit less certain than it once was. New York not picking up Barkley’s option would make 2021 a contract year for Barkley. The team picked up Evan Engram‘s non-guaranteed option last year, and Engram has battled nagging injuries for much of his run. That points to the Giants picking up Barkley’s.

The option price is not yet known, since the new CBA introduced a multitiered setup that will involve to-be-determined franchise and transition tag costs. Barkley having made one Pro Bowl would make his option price equal to that of the running back transition tag. Kenyan Drake‘s transition tag came in at $8.5MM last year; anything in that neighborhood would be a bargain for the Giants, even with Barkley’s ACL rehab clouding his outlook slightly.