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Shaq Leonard may have a new team to call home sooner rather than later.
On Tuesday, the Indianapolis Colts stunned their fans by releasing the multi-time Pro Bowl linebacker, whom they believed was no longer essential to their defensive scheme, especially coming off back surgery.
Now Adam Schefter reports that Leonard has cleared waivers and is being eyed, among others, by the top two teams in the NFC East: the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles:
Why Cowboys, Eagles are pursuing Shaq Leonard
The strong keep on getting stronger, they say, as the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles each know what they are getting with Shaq Leonard.
When healthy, the former Colt has been one of the better linebackers in the league, leading all players in tackles (both combined and solo) in 2018 (his rookie season) and forced fumbles in 2021. He also brings with him some decent playoff experience, with the Divisional Round being the furthest he has gone.
And signing him also solves some depth issues. The Cowboys already have Micah Parsons, already considered one of the best at his position, but they are also missing the services of Leighton Vander Esch, who has been ruled out for the rest of 2023 with a neck injury.
Meanwhile, the Eagles also have a very deep defense littered with Pro Bowlers, but they could use some more help at linebacker. Haason Reddick has been a great boon to them ever since joining as a free agent in 2022, but they also face a dearth of "Mikes", with sophomore Nakobe Dean sitting on injured reserve.
Joining the midnight green will also reunite Leonard with Nick Sirianni, who was the Colt's offensive coordinator from 2018 to 2020.
Columnist believes Shaq Leonard would be a great fit for Cleveland Browns
It is not just the Cowboys and the Eagles who may be eyeing Shaq Leonard.
Max Dible, an NFL writer for Heavy.com, believes that the Cleveland Browns would also be a great destination for him, especially as they look to sustain their surprising playoff push. He said:
"Both the Eagles and Cowboys have impressive defenses and Super Bowl aspirations along with a potential need at linebacker. The Browns share all three of those characteristics following [Anthony] Walker [Jr.]’s injury."
Once Leonard chooses his new team, the earliest he can debut for them is in Week 13 or 14, depending on whoever is in their bye week.
