One of the biggest question marks the Indianapolis Colts face entering training camp is the state of the linebacker room, mostly due to the unknown timeline of Shaquille Leonard’s recovery.
In their latest ranking of every linebacker corps in the NFL, the Colts found themselves within the top 10. Without a surprise, much of the outlook depends on the health and recovery of Leonard.
8. INDIANAPOLIS COLTS
The Colts’ linebackers actually held up reasonably well, considering Shaquille Leonard played only 74 snaps in 2022. Bobby Okereke (73.3 overall grade) and Zaire Franklin (57.0) led the way, while fourth-year man E.J. Speed (78.4) performed well in his first year with significant playing time. Okereke left for New York this offseason, but Franklin and Speed remain. Leonard’s health will be the key for this unit.
When healthy, Shaquille Leonard is one of the premier playmakers in the NFL—his 2021 season featured a league-best 91.1 run-defense grade, seven forced fumbles and four interceptions. His presence as a turnover-forcing machine can change games in a heartbeat. His return to full health is as good as anything the Colts could have acquired to improve their defense.
We didn’t get to see much of Leonard in Gus Bradley’s defense during the 2022 season and when we did, it was clear he was not the same player that earned a massive contract extension.
Leonard opted to undergo a second surgery during the second half of the regular season, and he’s still working his way back. He didn’t participate in the offseason workout program, and there is no current timetable for his return.
Still, the trio of Leonard, Zaire Franklin and E.J. Speed is a solid group. If The Maniac can return quickly without any issues, this unit could be a massive strength in the middle of Bradley’s defense.
But until we get a concrete update on Leonard’s timeline, there will be some big questions surrounding the linebacker room.
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