The Indianapolis Colts waived four-time All-Pro linebacker Shaquille Leonard on Tuesday, the team announced. Here’s what you need to know:
- Leonard was on a Hall of Fame trajectory before undergoing two back surgeries last year that limited him to three games. He has not been the same dominant player since.
- Leonard grew increasingly frustrated with his diminished role this year and repeatedly voiced his displeasure. Even when Zaire Franklin, the NFL’s third-leading tackler, missed a game, Indianapolis opted to play undrafted second-year pro Segun Olubi over Leonard.
- The linebacker didn’t ask for his release, according to a league source. This was a team decision.
- Excluding last year’s injury-riddled campaign, Leonard returned fully healthy this year but is playing a career-low 70 percent of the team’s defensive snaps.
Career snapshot
Leonard started 68 of the 70 games he appeared in across six seasons with the Colts and had most of his success in the first four years. He leaves Indianapolis with 614 tackles, 32 tackles for loss, 20 quarterback hits, 15 sacks, 17 forced fumbles and seven fumble recoveries. Prior to his back issues, Leonard was also stellar in pass coverage. He recorded 31 pass breakups and 12 interceptions, including a pick six in 2019.
What Leonard said
At a charity event Tuesday, Leonard talked to the media. The linebacker said he met with the coaching staff Monday and was told he would be inactive going forward. The team waived him earlier Tuesday. Leonard said he hasn’t considered retirement and wants to continue playing. He didn’t rule out the possibility of playing for another team this season.
What it means for the Colts
Two years ago, it seemed unfathomable the Colts and Leonard would be parting ways. The 2018 second-round pick made an immediate impact in the NFL with a single-season franchise record 163 tackles (that has since been broken by Franklin). However, Indianapolis — sitting at 5-5 as it returns from the bye week — will try to make a playoff push without him.
Leonard’s production has not lined up with his salary. Even if it seems premature for Indianapolis to cut him midseason, it also appeared to be inevitable. Leonard signed a well-deserved five-year, $98.5 million extension in Aug. 2021, but this year he was essentially reduced to being an overpaid rotational linebacker. He still had three years and $46.8 million remaining on his deal, and the Colts could’ve released him at the end of the season to save $12.1 million in cap space with just an $8 million dead cap hit in 2024, per league source.
It’s unclear at the moment how Leonard being cut prior to the end of the season will affect the Colts’ dead cap and cap space for next season, but one thing is for certain: They’ve refused to pay Leonard as a star player since they no longer believe he is one.
Leonard is still owed $6.1 million for the remainder of 2023, making it highly unlikely that a team will claim him off waivers. He’d then be able to choose where he plays next on a lower salary, with the Colts picking up the tab on the difference. — James Boyd, Colts staff writer
What it means for Leonard
Although Leonard’s mostly stellar career in Indianapolis has come to an end, he’ll have the chance to start fresh. The 28-year-old said he believes he’s returned to his 2021 All-Pro form. But defensive coordinator Gus Bradley’s scheme didn’t allow him to make the “splash plays” that became one of his hallmarks under former defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus, who’s now the Bears’ head coach.
“It’s just different this year,” Leonard said recently. “Either I’m hammering the ball back to Zaire or spilling it into the safety. I’m not as free as I once was in the defense before.”
Regardless of the reason, the Colts did not budge on Leonard’s limited playing time, and he didn’t do himself any favors. He struggled in Indianapolis’ win over the New England Patriots in Germany, most notably whiffing on a tackle attempt to bring down Ezekiel Elliot. The Patriots running back hauled in a screen pass early in the first quarter and easily outran Leonard for a 19-yard gain on second-and-8.
As poor as that second-down play was, Indianapolis never even trusted Leonard on third down this season. Save for Week 5 when he was sidelined due to a groin injury, Leonard played 21 of the Colts’ 134 third-down snaps (15.6 percent) in nine games. The last time he was on the field for a third-down play with more than 2 yards to gain was in Week 6. Perhaps Leonard can find a bigger role elsewhere and reestablish himself as a premier player.
“My patience has kind of been thrown out the window,” Leonard said recently. “I want to be on the field. If I want to buy a ticket, I can sit in the stands.” — Boyd
What they’re saying
“Shaq is the ultimate competitor and has been a fan favorite since he arrived as a rookie in 2018,” Colts general manager Chris Ballard said. “We are incredibly grateful for his contributions to the team and the city of Indianapolis over the last six seasons. We wish him the best and he will always be a valued member of the Horseshoe.”
“I’m thankful for the energy Shaq brought to our team on a daily basis,” Colts coach Shane Steichen said. “He’s a competitor, a leader, and is respected among his teammates. I wish him all the best.”
Backstory
Bradley, who said the team was looking for Leonard to round back into form in November, thoroughly addressed Leonard’s frustrations after the Colts beat the Panthers in Week 9. He acknowledged that as a competitor Leonard should be upset with his playing time, and he encouraged him to not “bend on wanting to be on the field every play.” Bradley also mentioned that he continuously spoke to Leonard about his role so he wouldn’t be blindsided.
“He may or may not like it, but it was there,” Bradley said. “ … I think there was great communication. Really in there, he said, ‘Yes, the coaches are talking to me, there’s accountability. I’m frustrated with it, but I understand the role and I understand what is asked of me and it’s on.’ I think that is pretty much life with anybody in a job, right? There might be some things in your job you might not like to hear. Sometimes if it’s open and there’s communication, at least you have that.”
When asked about Bradley challenging him to continue competing for playing time, Leonard didn’t hold back.
“Everybody says they want you to keep that fighting edge until you step on toes,” Leonard said. “We had conversations back then and it was more so, ‘Get to November and we’ll see.’ In November, we saw and it’s just tough, man. It’s frustrating when you have those conversations and you’re trying to figure out what else to do. … I honestly don’t know what to do.”
In addition to Bradley, Colts coach Shane Steichen was repeatedly asked about Leonard’s frustrations as well, and while he acknowledged them, Steichen never went into detail about how the team would address them. That trend continued when Leonard’s displeasure was broached again following Indianapolis’ win over the Patriots. Steichen commended Leonard for his effort but did not necessarily commend him for his performance.
“I thought he played hard,” Steichen said. “I’ve got a ton of respect for Shaq and, like I said, each week we work through that with him, that process with the playing time.”
Required reading
(Photo: Michael Hickey / Getty Images)
