The Indianapolis Colts officially cut ties with linebacker Shaquille Leonard on Tuesday, November 21. After proving himself back in 2018, the relationship between the two sides turned sour after Leonard complained about his playing minutes.
It appears this stemmed from a social media rant by the three-time All-Pro for sounding off publicly, although it may only be part of it. Most view the move of the Colts as financially motivated, according to Bill Barnwell of ESPN.
The Colts owe Shaq Leonard $6.1 million over the rest of the season, but this release is likely more about 2024, when he has $6.5 million guaranteed for injury. Indy was probably cutting Leonard after the year and didn't want to be on the hook if he got hurt.
— Bill Barnwell (@billbarnwell) November 21, 2023
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No less than Leonard admitted he was surprised by the decision. He mentioned wanting to sit down and meet with Colts management, but the agenda was something he was not expecting, the Washington Times reported.
"It was shocking. I asked for a November meeting, guess I got a November meeting. I guess you better be careful what you ask for. They came up to me after team photos, we had team photos Monday and (defensive coordinator) Gus (Bradley) walked up to me and said 'Hey, let's go have that November meeting that you've been wanting' Then when I got there it wasn't what I wanted to hear," Leonard said.
Regardless, Leonard is not expected to be a free agent for long. Several teams could use his expertise. Here are some of them:
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers could use some help with Cole Holcomb and Kwon Alexander out for the season. Holcomb's season came to a close due to a knee injury, while Alexander is out with a torn Achilles, per the Bleacher Report.
Although the Steelers have signed players like Mykal Walker, Myles Jack and Blake Martinez, there is no question that Leonard's talent is way above these names.
With the Steelers working to make it to the playoffs, signing Leonard after he clears waivers makes a ton of sense.
Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles have a huge void to fill, with only Zach Cunningham and Nicholas Morrow holding up the team on the defensive end. Although the Eagles had already acquired Kevin Byard in the midseason, it wouldn't hurt to consider adding Leonard as well.
With Philly eyeing the playoffs, Leonard could be a key piece to bolster their bid for a Super Bowl title this season. That move will depend on how Eagles general manager Howie Roseman can pull strings to get the three-time Pro Bowler.
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys defense appears to be in great shape but that does not mean that they can't solidify it more. This is even though they lost Steffon Diggs due to a torn ACL and Leighton Vander Esch to a neck injury. Both are out for the season.
To fill that void, Rashaan Evans, Markquese Bell and Damone Clark were signed by the Cowboys. Adding Leonard could make sense, especially if they have their sights on the Super Bowl.
Leonard toughening up the Cowboys' defense will also be ideal, especially against other NFL teams who own prolific offenses. That list includes the Eagles, the San Francisco 49ers, and the Detroit Lions, among other teams that want to perform well in the playoffs.
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