One of the biggest questions entering Indianapolis Colts training camp is the status of star linebacker Shaquille Leonard, who is working his way back from a second back surgery.
Leonard didn’t participate at all during the team’s spring workout program. He was present for OTAs and minicamp when the media was permitted to attend. However, he did not participate.
The Colts, and Leonard himself, have been extremely vague on a potential timetable for return, casting plenty of doubt pertaining to his availability at the start of training camp and even the start of the regular season.
Owner Jim Irsay didn’t help those doubts Monday when he appeared on The Pat McAfee Show, giving a “we’ll see” when talking about The Maniac’s progress.
“And, you know, I think Shaq Leonard, he’s working hard. We’ll see, you know. He has a chance, he’s working really hard, he’s getting a little better each day,” Irsay said around the two-hour, 59-minute mark of Monday’s show.
He told reporters during the spring that he feels much better about his prognosis, but he declined to give a timetable for return.
“I’m feeling better. Feeling a whole lot better than what I did at any point of the year last year. Moving around a whole lot better, I’ve got more power in the calf. It’s still not where I want to be,” Leonard said in April.
Head coach Shane Steichen also declined to give a potential return date whenever he was asked by the media this offseason.
Leonard is a key part of Gus Bradley’s defense. He only appeared in three games during the 2022 season, though. He made his season debut in Week 4 against the Tennessee Titans before suffering a concussion and broken nose, which forced him to miss the next three games.
He then returned in Week 8 for two more games, but interim head coach Jeff Saturday suggested Leonard shut it down for the rest of the season considering he still didn’t look like himself during practice or the limited action in games.
Injuries are difficult to gauge during the offseason because teams are not required to give daily injury reports, and they often take the cautious route when it comes to participation levels.
There are no doubts Leonard is putting as much work in as he can to return. We’ll have a better idea of Leonard’s status when the team returns to Westfield on July 25, but this is certainly going to be one of the top storylines to follow.
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