Saquon Barkley returned to practice with the New York Giants for the first time Monday since tearing the ACL in his right knee early last season, and he expressed optimism afterward that he could be ready for Week 1.

"I guess you can say, with my mindset, I'm definitely hopeful," Barkley said. "It's definitely better being able to practice now than later on in camp."

The Giants open the season on Sept. 12, giving the running back more than a month to further prepare.

"As [the medical staff] keeps greenlighting Saquon to do more and more, we're going to let him do more and more," Joe Judge said.