Source: WESTFIELD, IN – JULY 28: Indianapolis Colts linebacker Shaquille Leonard (53) watches a drill during the Indianapolis Colts Training Camp practice on July 28, 2022 at Grand Park Sports Campus in Westfield, IN. (Photo by Zach Bolinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
The Indianapolis Colts spent most of last season without one of their most dynamic weapons.
Linebacker Shaquille Leonard, the Colts unquestioned leader on defense, missed all but 3 games last year while dealing with a back injury, as well as a concussion and a broken nose. Even when he was on the field, it was clear that Leonard was not himself. He had attempted to rush back after dealing with the back issue and was nowhere close to 100%.
Now, the Colts are taking a much more cautious approach to their prized defender. Leonard has not participated in practice since the Colts began offseason activity, and currently, there does not seem to be a timetable for his return. He is reportedly “progressing well” but other than that, the Colts are keeping a tight lid on his status.
All of this begs the question of if Leonard will be ready for Week 1 of the 2023 NFL season, when the Colts will face their divisional rival, the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Colts certainly hope so; there’s no need to rehash Indy’s struggles against the Jaguars in recent years. While the game won’t be in Jacksonville, which has been a house of horrors for the Colts, the team will probably need all the help it can get to take down a talented Jaguars team coming off a playoff appearance.
However, the Colts won’t rush Leonard if he isn’t ready. After seeing him playing hurt last year, they’re going to be as cautious as possible with their star linebacker. They’ll just have to hope that he is able to fully recover, and returns as the game-changer he was, and that they don’t experience a repeat of an August night in 2019, when another star player who experienced a rash of injuries decided to walk away from the game.
During Friday’s edition of The Ride With JMV, Mike Wells of ESPN joined the show. He and John discussed the status of Shaquille Leonard, and the Colts as a whole. Listen to that conversation and more below, and tune into The Ride With JMV from 3-6pm on 93.5/107.5 The Fan!
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Will Shaquille Leonard Be Ready For Week 1? was originally published on 1075thefan.com
