Putting himself at the epicenter of the NFC East’s most intense rivalry is Shaquille Leonard.
Three-time Pro Bowl player Leonard of the Indianapolis Colts has come to terms with the Minnesota Vikings on a one-year contract, according to a Monday report from NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport. The signing was later announced by the viking s.
After spending Tuesday with the Dallas Cowboys, Leonard met with the viking on Wednesday. In an attempt to help the defending NFC Champions win another Super Bowl, he has chosen to stick with Minnesota in first place for the final stretch.
Though it remains to be seen if Leonard will be active, he’s joining the viking (10-2) ahead of a massive prime-time showdown with the Cowboys (9-3) on Sunday night. He’ll be looked to bolster a rushing defense that was gashed in a Week 13 loss to the San Francisco 49ers.
Surprisingly waived by Indianapolis, Leonard, 28, will look to amend a celebrated career sidelined by injuries.
Leonard will join an vikings linebacking corps featuring starters Nicholas Morrow and Zach Cunningham, who’s been dealing with a hamstring injury. If he reclaims his prime form, Leonard would be a massive upgrade, but whether he can do that remains a prevailing question.
Now in his sixth season, Leonard started his career on a Hall of Fame trajectory when he was voted 2018 Associated Press NFL Defensive Player of the Year and accrued the first of his three first-team All-Pro accolades. Injuries hobbled one of the top backers in the game, though
Prior to the 2022 season, he had back surgery, and he only participated in three games. He made nine starts for the Colts this season, but he wasn’t playing at the elite level that had been shown in the past, and he became angry with the way the new coaching staff was using him.
Howie Roseman made a low-risk signing for the viking that will undoubtedly be praised because Leonard’s salary is now on the Indianapolis books after he cleared waivers. They thus receive an all-star ceiling on a cheap addition.
Leonard is headed to his second NFL team in an attempt to return to All-Pro form and assist the viking in reaching their lofty 2023 goals.
