Shaquille Leonard, Eagles Agree to 1-Year Contract Amid Cowboys Buzz
December 4, 2023
Former Indianapolis Colts linebacker Shaquille Leonard agreed to a one-year contract with the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday.
Bleacher Report's Jordan Schultz initially reported the news.
Jordan Schultz @Schultz_ReportBREAKING: Free agent LB Shaq Leonard is signing with the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Eagles?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Eagles</a>, sources tell <a href="https://twitter.com/BleacherReport?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BleacherReport</a>.<br><br>The 4x All-Pro visited the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cowboys?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Cowboys</a> last week and fielded interest from several other teams, but ultimately chose Philly with the hopes of winning a Super Bowl. <a href="https://t.co/pFhJ6iZAgu">pic.twitter.com/pFhJ6iZAgu</a>
Per Schultz, Leonard had visited the Dallas Cowboys last week.
Leonard averaged 158 tackles per season from 2018 to 2021. He won the Associated Press Defensive Rookie of the Year after making a league-high 163 tackles in 2018. Leonard also made three All-Pro and Pro Bowl teams.
Unfortunately, Leonard missed 14 games during the 2022 season after undergoing two procedures in June and November on his back to address a persistent nerve issue.
He returned for the 2023 season, started nine games for the Colts and made 65 tackles, but his playing time decreased, which Leonard was not particularly happy about.
Dave Griffiths @DaveG_SportsShaq Leonard does not seem happy with his continued, limited role with the Colts.<br><br>"Gonna be similar, maybe even worse."<br><br>"They say I don't make enough splash plays, so I guess I'll still be watching for a little bit."<br><br>Full exchange here: <a href="https://t.co/jboMg3kbCO">pic.twitter.com/jboMg3kbCO</a>
Leonard was then told he would be inactive for his team's Nov. 26 matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. One day later, the Colts released him and took on $28.0 million in dead cap money after inking him to a five-year, $98.5 million extension in 2021.
As far as why the Colts made the move, head coach coach Shane Steichen declined to get into details.
"I think it's hard," Steichen told reporters. "There's never a right time to release a player. It was a decision that was made, a tough decision. I'm not going to get into all the details, but I do want to wish him all the best."
Per ESPN's Adam Schefter, Leonard cleared waivers on Wednesday, Nov. 22, making him a free agent. He mentioned the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys as "teams expected to have some level of interest."
That turned out to be the case with Leonard visiting the Cowboys on Tuesday, Nov. 27, before heading to Philadelphia, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
A shocking release has led to a fresh start elsewhere, however, as Leonard begins his second NFL chapter.
Why wouldn't the NFL-leading Eagles be interested? Philadelphia looks like a Super Bowl contender once again, and adding further reinforcements is a must for a team with Lombardi Trophy aspirations.
Plus, the linebacker situation has seen much turnover of late, with T.J. Edwards and Kyzir White leaving in free agency and Nakobe Dean (Lisfranc sprain) and Shaun Bradley (torn Achilles) on injured reserve.
Leonard now joins an Eagles linebacker unit that includes Zach Cunningham and Nicholas Morrow. Adding an All-Pro to that mix is certainly a wise decision for general manager Howie Roseman, who already acquired All-Pro safety Kevin Byard from the Tennessee Titans before the trade deadline.