Colts Make Shocking Move, Cut Star Defender
The Indianapolis Colts have pulled an unexpected move and waived star linebacker Shaquille Leonard.
Leonard, 28, announced the shocking move on X on Tuesday afternoon, bringing a finale to a situation where Leonard had recently been outspoken about his role on the team.
Indy, I want to thank you for accepting me an my family with open arms. These past 6 years has been nothing but incredible! Through the good times and bad time y'all stood by my side. I apologize for not bringing that trophy back to the 317. The energy in Lucas Oil has been nothing but amazing and I thank you for every memory. I'm thankful to play for such an amazing fan base. I love you guys and wish the Colts nothing but the best!
Maniac out
Shortly after the move was announced, Colts owner Jim Irsay also released a statement on X:
Colts Nation will always remember The Maniac’s palpable energy on the field with each tackle, interception, punchout, and fumble recovery. Off the field, he’s a servant leader and assisted numerous families in both his hometown and the Indianapolis community. We’re thankful for Shaq and the contributions he made to our organization. We wish him and his beautiful family the best moving forward.
Leonard's career started out in spectacular fashion, earning him NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2018 as well as four Pro Bowl and four All-Pro nods, as well as a huge five-year, $98 million contract extension just before the 2021 season.
His body of work was unparalleled, stuffing the stat sheet with tackles, stuffs, sacks, interceptions, and just about anything else he could do. However, injuries began mounting and soon derailed his progress.
During the 2022 offseason, he underwent a procedure on his back that kept him out up into the early chunk of the season. He was ultimately held to just three games and had another back procedure that ended his season prematurely.
Leonard came back this summer and was ready to go from the jump in training camp but has yet to look like his old self on film through the first 11 weeks of the season. His range, athleticism, ferocity, and playmaking have all been absent. It led to the Colts reducing his role, as he's played just 69.7% of the defense's snaps in 2023.
With his performance dipping, Leonard's price tag became a big question for onlookers.
According to OverTheCap, Leonard was due a guaranteed $15.7 million in 2023 and is still owed about $6.1 million for the remainder of this season. There is no guaranteed money remaining on the final three years of his contract but still held $19.7 million in dead cap for 2023 and $8 million total in dead cap for 2024 and 2025.
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