Giants Running Back Saquon Barkley is Glad to Be Back Where He Belongs

Saquon Barkley returned to the practice field with his teammates for the first time after a devastating ACL injury in what was a memorable moment for him.

New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley knew the grief was coming.

When the Giants star running back, who was activated off the PUP list Monday, set foot on the practice field with his teammates, guys were coming up to introduce themselves while others playfully asked him who he was.

"These are things you miss, even that joking around," Barkley said with a smile, clearly not minding the good-natured teasing.

Well, that and playing football with his teammates. Barkley, a team captain last year who saw his season brutally ripped away from him five quarters in thanks to a torn ACL, took his most significant step forward toward a return yet when he was activated off the PUP list Monday.

• RELATED: Joe Judge Explains Why He Would Play Saquon Barkley in the Preseason

"It felt good to just be back out there playing football," said Barkley, who was limited to individual drills.

"The most fun part I would say is being back out there with your teammates. Obviously, the next step in my rehab process and just thankful to be able to go back out there and play football with my teammates and be able to get to practice. It’s what I love."

Barkley learned of the team's intention to activate him Saturday night, a decision that he said came about given where he was with his rehab process.

"I think I got to a point in rehab where going over there against garbage cans and cutting on cones and stuff, that was all good and stuff, but now I get to a point where I start reacting off of other athletes and 9the team's medical staff) agreed with me," he said.

But while Barkley is back on the practice field, nothing has changed regarding a timetable for his return.

"I’m going to give y’all the same answer I’ve been giving you: To be honest, I don’t know," Barkley said. "Obviously, you guys know how I am as a competitor. I’m pretty sure you guys know what my thought process is, but at the same time, I’m very fortunate to play for an unbelievable coach and an unbelievable organization that’s actually thinking about me and thinking about the rest of my career and the longevity of my career and I don’t feel forced."

• RELATED: New York Giants Activate Running Back Saquon Barkley Off the PUP List

Giants head coach Joe Judge, who didn't rule out the possibility of Barkley getting a few preseason reps later in the summer to help get his body acclimated to the game's physicality, said he's going to heed the advice of the medical staff.

"As they keep greenlighting Saquon to do more and more, we’re going to let him do more and more. I always say all the time, look, I’m not the doctor, I’m the listener. They are the guys with their hands on him with his rehab. Whatever they allow us to do, we will."

As for Barkley, he is optimistic that his workload will increase over the upcoming days if all continues to go well.

"I’ll let you guys in on a little secret with ACL rehab. It’s not really the front of the week, it’s the backload of the week--just building that callous up in your body taking those reps," he said.

"Not just your knee in general; it’s just football conditioning shape. You can do all the running you do over there, but it’s never similar to football shape.

"So just still listening to my body and it felt good today. I’m going to go in and get in a lift and continue to work on my rehab process and continue to get my knee right and my body right and the more I’m allowed to do it, I’m going to attack it 110 percent and try to get better every day."

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