In a surprise move last week, the Indianapolis Colts released 28-year-old linebacker Shaquille Leonard after he spent five and a half seasons with the team. There was immediate interest around the league and from teams looking to upgrade their defense, and the Dallas Cowboys will be the first team to have a shot at an interview with the three-time First Team All Pro.
Shaq Leonard Will Visit The Cowboys On Tuesday
I’m told Shaq Leonard now has a finalized scheduled visit with the #Cowboys.
It’s now set for Tuesday, per source.
It was not set in stone as of my tweet last night. https://t.co/f01eOsTqc9
— JosinaAnderson (@JosinaAnderson) November 27, 2023
Leonard was one of the top defenders in the game not too long ago. Along with his All Pro selections, he also nabbed the Defensive Rookie of the Year award back in 2018, but his best season came in 2021. Leonard led the league in forced fumbles that season with 8, and added four interceptions to go along with his 122 tackles. He was ranked #18 by his peers on the NFL Top-100 Players List.
But injury issues over the past couple of years have derailed his production. After the 2021 season, Leonard had surgery on his back to correct nerve issues, which sidelined him for the start of the following season. But he suffered a setback upon returning in 2022, playing in just 3 games and totaling 11 tackles on the year.
The Colts apparently believed that Leonard had lingering issues, and his snap count was down to 70% in 2023 after seeing 98% in three of his four previous seasons. The player disagreed with the team’s diagnosis, and the two sides decided to part ways last week.
Eagles Also In The Mix For LB
I’m told the #Eagles now have increasing interest in pursuing free agent LB Shaq Leonard, following the reported hamstring injury to LB Zach Cunningham Sunday, per source. https://t.co/hliVjtAoFD
— JosinaAnderson (@JosinaAnderson) November 27, 2023
The Cowboys were one of the first teams that had a reported interest, and some have said that it will be a two-team race between them and the Eagles for Leonard’s services. As NFL insider Josina Anderson reported on Monday, Leonard’s first interview stop will be with the Cowboys, as the two sides will hold a meeting on Tuesday.
Dallas is looking for a replacement for Leighton Vander Esch. The team’s starting linebacker suffered a neck injury on October 8th and was placed on the season-ending injured reserved list, creating a hole in the unit on the defense for the Cowboys. Jerry Jones is always on the search for the next star, so having an available player who could fill a need visit Dallas is not at all a shock.
Will Jones let Leonard out of the building without a deal? Especially if his next stop is the league-leading and division rival Eagles?
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