<p>EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — The New York Giants picked up the fifth-year option on the rookie contract for running back Saquon Barkley.</p>
<p>The 2018 Offensive Rookie of the Year is recovering from a torn right ACL in Week 2 of last season. </p>
<p>Barkley, the No. 2 overall draft pick in 2018, ran for 1,307 yards that season and caught 91 passes for 721 yards. He had 15 touchdowns combined rushing and receiving. </p>
<p>Barkley had 1,441 yards from scrimmage in 2019, but missed three games because of a high ankle sprain.</p>
<p>He is hopeful to be ready for training camp this summer.</p>
<p>“Very excited,” Barkley told The Associated Press during the winter. “Obviously things were a little shaky in the beginning of the year. … I got hurt, they started getting things clicking and I think you saw when we got the running game going, we were very hard to beat. When you have a great running game, a great defense and a great quarterback and talent all around, which I believe we have, we can take that middle portion toward the end of the season when we played some of our best ball and start off with that, I think we’re going to be in a very good place.”</p>
<p>The Giants finished 6-10 in 2020, but barely missed winning the weak NFC East that Washington took at 7-9.</p>
<p>Barkley now will earn a fully guaranteed $7.217 million in 2022.</p>
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