What is next for the Colts after releasing Shaquille Leonard
The Indianapolis Colts elected to waive one of their defensive captains. With the news of Shaquille Leonard being released by the team. Which has many wondering what is next for the Colts. On the field, the Colts will have to adjust the LB rotation we saw in the first ten weeks of the season. It […]
The Indianapolis Colts elected to waive one of their defensive captains.
With the news of Shaquille Leonard being released by the team. Which has many wondering what is next for the Colts.
On the field, the Colts will have to adjust the LB rotation we saw in the first ten weeks of the season. It likely means the Zaire Franklin and EJ Speed duo will be the team's full-time starters, with Segun Olubi being the new third LB in certain sets and a key rotational member of the team's defense.
To be blunt, Franklin, Speed, and Olubi have been the clear best three LBs on the Colts this season, so an argument can be made that this move makes the Colts better, as well as the cap savings that comes with it: 55 million dollars over the next three seasons. Franklin leads the NFL in tackles and was already leading the group in snaps. Speed has been the clear best coverage option for the Colts and was already replacing Leonard in obvious pass-down situations. Olubi is a high-motor LB who has made multiple impactful plays when his number has been called. He had the opportunity to fill in for Leonard this season already when he missed, and the Colts defense didn't seem to have to adjust much on that front.
In the locker room, the job of replacing Leonard will be much more challenging for the Colts. Leonard, even though he wasn't playing like and All-Pro on the field anymore, never wavered as a leader in the Colts locker room. His teammates, present and past, have the utmost respect for Leonard. And with his permanent absence now, they will look to multiple other key leaders to step into that needed role.
Multiple of Leonard's current and former teammates have already chimed in with this news being made public.
Colts shock the world with the release of Shaquille Leonard
The Indianapolis Colts have released former All-Pro LB Shaquille Leonard.
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