The Indianapolis Colts made a surprise move Tuesday when they waived three-time All-Pro linebacker Shaquille Leonard. Top-flight players rarely become available more than midway through a season, and Leonard should garner interest from a lot of teams.
Leonard, 28, was arguably one of the best linebackers during the first four years of his NFL career. He won Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2018, made the Pro Bowl in four consecutive seasons from 2018-2021 and was an All-Pro in 2018, 2020 and 2021. Leonard tallied 343 combined tackles, 15 sacks, 30 tackles for a loss, 17 forced fumbles and 11 interceptions over that span, too.
Injuries befell Leonard this past season, though. He missed the first three weeks of the 2022 season while he recovered from offseason back surgery, then another three games with a concussion before another back injury ended his season before Week 10. Leonard saw his defensive snap share drop precipitously in 2023 under new head coach Shane Steichen, which likely played a role in his eventual release this week.
Any team that claims Leonard off the waiver wire would also acquire his contract. He owed him $6.11 million for the rest of this season. He’s also under contract through 2026 with annual salaries owed of around $16.1 million, $19 million and $19.6 million over the next three years
The Browns are in a rare position where not only could they absorb that contract this season, but they also have a need at linebacker. Starter Anthony Walker left Week 11 with a hamstring injury and is considered week-to-week. However, Cleveland sits 24th in the waiver order and may lose out to another team even if the Browns put in a claim.
Here are the pros and cons of claiming Leonard off waivers – or signing him outright if he becomes a free agent.