Colts LB Shaquille Leonard wants answers about limited playing time
Indianapolis Colts linebacker Shaquille Leonard missed 14 games last season following back surgery. A year removed from the surgery, the expectation was Leonard would slide back into having a key role on defense. However, things have went the other way.
Per ESPN, Leonard played no less than 93% of Indy's defensive snaps his first four seasons. However, he's played just 70% of snaps this season and only 44% last week against the Carolina Panthers.
The drastic change for Leonard is something that is bothering him. Speaking with the media on Thursday, Leonard expressed his frustrations. It's not just the lack of playing time, it's also that the Colts coaching staff hasn't conveyed precisely why. Leonard would love to get an answer.
"What can I do? What am I doing wrong? You don't believe in me?" Leonard said. "Am I not making plays? Am I bad in the run game? Am I bad in the pass game? Tell me something. Help me sleep. Help me sleep better at night."
The Colts owe Leonard answers. He's been rock-solid for a franchise that's been on shaky ground for quite some time. Leonard's been named a First-team All-Pro three times in his career (2018, 2020, 2021), he led the league in tackles in 2018 (163) and forced fumbles in 2021 (eight).
Injuries can quickly derail a career, and perhaps Leonard will never be the same as he was before his back injury, but he hasn't gotten a proper sample size this season to definitively say if his regression is permanent. For example, Leonard has rarely played on third downs this season. It might be wise for Indianapolis to give Leonard over 90% of the snaps just one week and see if he gets warmed up instead of being cold on the bench.
Would it really hurt the 4-5 Colts to see if Leonard can produce like he did his last fully healthy year in 2021, where he had the highest PFF run defense grade (91.1)? Indy's defense has allowed the fifth-most rushing yards in the NFL (1,130) this season. Leonard might not be a solution to the run defense woes, but he isn't the problem.
From what Leonard is saying, he's tried to have an open line of communication with the coaching staff, and that construct hasn't been reciprocated. Even so, Leonard says he's trying to be a good teammate.
"It’s just tough, man. It is frustrating when you’re having conversations and trying to figure out what else to do," Leonard said. "I honestly don’t know what to do, I put my best foot forward every day.”
Leonard's best foot forward might not be enough for Indianapolis, and it'll be interesting to see how much longer he's with the franchise. In 2021, Leonard signed a five-year, $99.25 million extension, including $52.5 million guaranteed, which made him the highest paid LB in the NFL. The contract runs through 2027, but a divorce seems likely way before then.
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