New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley should have the green light when the 2021 NFL season gets underway.

Barkley, who suffered a torn ACL in Week 2 of the 2020 campaign, is expected to be ready for the start of the new season, per ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter.

Knee injuries such as Barkley's can sometimes take a full 12 months to heal. But it looks as though he will be ready ahead of schedule, though his status for training camp is unknown.

Regardless, Barkley is trending in the right direction. That's good news for a Giants team that desperately needs him to stay healthy.

The former Penn State star was arguably the best running back in the league after being selected with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2018 NFL draft. Barkley led the league with 2,028 yards from scrimmage, rushing for 1,307 yards on 5.0 yards per carry and hauling in 91 receptions for 721 yards. He consistently ripped off explosive runs and made plays out of the backfield.

However, the last two years have been quite frustrating for Barkley. He was still an impact back in 2019, rushing for over 1,000 yards and tallying close to 1,500 yards from scrimmage. But an ankle sprain suffered in Week 3 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers forced him to miss three games and also seemed to limit him throughout the course of the season.

Barkley seemingly reported to camp healthy ahead of the 2020 campaign. However, the torn ACL would be a devastating setback.

The Giants are hoping to build momentum after narrowly missing out on the NFC East title last season. A healthy Barkley would surely bolster New York's chances.