10/3 indy star S. Leonard

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Why Colts are playing Shaquille Leonard less and why they expect to increase his snaps
Nate Atkins
Indianapolis Star


Shaquille Leonard still isn't fully back to form after his second back surgery, which explains why the Colts aren't playing him like they used to.

The three-time first-team All-Pro linebacker has seen his snaps drop in each of the past three weeks after he started the season by playing 86% of plays against the Jaguars. On Sunday against the Rams, he saw that number dip to 45%, and he was noticeably absent during many of the crunch-time snaps in a tie game headed to overtime, even with Zaire Franklin managing a back injury.

"Obviously, he wants to play every play, all the time," Colts defensive coordinator Gus Bradley said. "When we sat down and looked at it, we just felt like we're going to have a plan in mind and follow that plan. There may be more, there may be less reps, but it's based on how we're going to bring him back.

The ideal thing, in my mind, is to get him back sometime in November to where we have an ideal feel for where he's at."

Indianapolis Colts linebacker Shaquille Leonard (53) during the game against the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday, Oct. 1, 2023, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. The Colts lost in overtime, 29-23.
Bradley also pointed to the emergence of E.J. Speed as a force in nickel packages. The Rams ran almost exclusively 11-personnel, with one running back, one tight end and theee receivers, which forced the Colts into those nickel packages even more.

Speed is playing 50% of the defensive snaps through four games, up from 28% last season, when Leonard missed all but three games and the Colts saw a breakout from Bobby Okereke, who left in the spring to sign with the Giants.


"As we know, Shaquille is coming off injury so we're working him back into getting fully, 100% healthy," Speed said. "Once he's fully, 100% healthy, he'll start taking more snaps on third-down opportunities, he'll be relieved of his snap count and we'll go ahead and get back to our regular schedule."

Leonard declined to speak on his playing time after Sunday's game.


Colts news:What Colts said about Shaq Leonard being on the sidelines in second half of Sunday's loss

Leonard has not trained to be a backup MIKE, so when Franklin had to leave for seven plays with a back issue, the Colts opted for Segun Olubi, Franklin’s backup, in that spot.

Leonard has been working back from a second surgery to correct a nerve issue that brought pain from his back down into his calf and ankle. He had the first surgery in June of 2022, knocking him out of training camp. He admitted he came back too early when he practiced at the start of the regular season, and he played parts of three games before the Colts placed him on injured reserve.


He underwent a second operation last November. That held him out of the offseason program, but he was back for the start of training camp and has not missed a practice since. He has not been on the injury report since the regular season started.

Indianapolis Colts All-Pro linebacker Shaquille Leonard has seen his playing time drop each game since the season opener.
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Playing 86% of the snaps in the season opener was more than the Colts had intended that early on, linebackers coach Richard Smith said.

"He might not look like the guy that he was three years ago, but he's so intelligent and has such passion," Smith said. "He can do a lot of good things for us."

By targeting November as a full return, the Colts are giving Leonard a full year since the second surgery to ramp back up to speed. The ceiling is a player who led the NFL by having a hand in 15 turnovers in 2021.

In four games this season, Leonard has 21 tackles, one tackle for loss, zero sacks, zero passes defended and zero turnovers.

"I feel like a lot of times, if I try to force it, I'll be out of position," Leonard said last week. "I just have to trust. Don't be hungry for it, and when you get opportunities, take full advantage of

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https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profoo...l-the-way-back