Steelers Listed as Favorites to Land Ex-Colts LB Shaq Leonard

The Pittsburgh Steelers are the favorites to land former Indianapolis Colts linebacker Shaq Leonard, according to odds posted by BetKentucky.com.

Leonard was waived by the Colts on Tuesday. A team claiming Leonard would need to absorb the remainder of his contract for 2023, which is slightly more than $6 million. The Steelers would need to find some creative ways to create cap space in order to afford that.

However, if Leonard clears waivers, the Colts will be responsible for the rest of that total and he is free to sign with any team. The Steelers signing him under that scenario seems much more plausible.

The Steelers suffered two consecutive season-ending injuries at the linebacker position over the last three weeks, losing Cole Holcomb (knee) and Kwon Alexander (Achilles) for the remainder of the 2023 season.

The Steelers have +600 odds, tied with the Philadelphia Eagles as the best odds of any team to land Leonard. The Buffalo Bills and Chicago Bears are next at +900, followed by the Dallas Cowboys and Houston Texans at +1000.

The Steelers have better waiver position than the Eagles, who are dead last with the league’s best record, the Cowboys and the Texans, but are behind the Bears and Bills.

A second-round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, Leonard was a four-time All-Pro selection in his time with the Colts. He led the NFL with 163 tackles as a rookie in 2018, winning NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year and his first of four straight All-Pro nods.

His 2022 was marred by a back injury that kept him from playing in all but three games. He returned this season and had 65 tackles and two tackles for loss in nine games with the Colts this season.

Leonard struggled to regain his form after the injury, and didn’t seem to fit in with new Colts defensive coordinator Gus Bradley. His playing time dropped to the lowest of his career and he became openly critical of Bradley. That and his large salary led to his release.

Leonard has a history of injuries. He has suffered significant neck and back injuries and has lost a lot of the athleticism that he brought to the table. So, that raises questions on how good Leonard can be at this stage in his career. But he is a great locker room leader, has run the green dot, and can be a net boon to a linebacker room that needs help. 

Elandon Roberts has played extremely well so far into his Steelers tenure, including a masterful 15-tackle outburst against the Browns, and seems to be picking up a lot of the slack with Alexander and Holcomb out.

Mykal Walker stepped into the room and played well as a starter, too. Myles Jack and Tariq Carpenter remain options on the practice squad for Pittsburgh to fall back on. 

But Leonard brings a ceiling no one else on the roster has, even if there are significant questions if he can still reach those heights. It seems like his athleticism might be sapped by the severe injuries, but if he can be a solid NFL starter, he could easily be a worthwhile option for Pittsburgh to explore at this stage.