Getty The Baltimore Ravens can still find an All-Pro replacement for Patrick Queen in free agency.
The Baltimore Ravens aren’t exactly lacking for stud inside linebackers, even after losing Patrick Queen to the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2024 NFL free agency. Yet, scooping up an All-Pro talent like Shaquille Leonard off the veteran market this late in the free-agent cycle is too good an opportunity to ignore.
It’s an idea from Tyler Sullivan of CBS Sports. He acknowledges “the Ravens boast arguably the best defense in the NFL, but that unit did see linebacker Patrick Queen depart for the Steelers this offseason. Of course, Roquan Smith still is the top dog within Baltimore’s linebacker group, but Queen’s departure does leave room for the club to bring in some depth in the form of Leonard.”
A fully healthy Leonard is accomplished enough to slide in right alongside fellow All-Pro Roquan Smith and be a like-for-like replacement for Queen. Fortunately, the Ravens wouldn’t need Leonard to start right away.
Not when second-year pro Trenton Simpson is ready to take the reins from Queen. The former Clemson standout is a versatile athlete, but Simpson has yet to make a full start in the pros, so bringing Leonard on board would be excellent insurance, provided the latter can return to form.
Shaquille Leonard Can Still Make an Impact
Injuries and prolonged time away from the field have made it easy to forget how dominant Leonard was at 100 percent. Being named first-team All-Pro three times and making as many trips to the Pro Bowl summed up the quality of Leonard’s game during his peak years with the Indianapolis Colts.
Leonard became one of the league’s premier players at his position thanks to wide range, keen recognition skills and aggressive instincts when attacking downhill. All three of those qualities contributed to this run stop against the New England Patriots in 2022, highlighted by Taylor Kyles of Patriots on CLNS.
Here’s one of the plays Shaq Leonard saw coming last Sunday.
NE checking pre-snap from 12 personnel with a TE on each side usually means outside zone to Jonnu’s side.
Can see Leonard signal (albeit the wrong direction) and attack the LOS to get a jump on the play
Plays like this became common for Leonard before back and groin injuries, along with concussions, laid him low. His lengthy injury record eventually led to a parting of the ways with the Colts, leaving Leonard to sign with the Philadelphia Eagles during the 2023 season.
Leonard’s performances weren’t at the same level for the Eagles. There were multiple mistakes, including this one highlighted by Shane Haff of Edge of Philly Sports.
Nicholas Morrow does a good job of plugging the hole front side, but Shaq Leonard gets way out of position, Milton Williams is unable to disengage, and Sydney Brown gets pushed out of the play leaving a wide-open cutback lane.
Playing in a rotation featuring Smith and Simpson, on a defense coordinated by former NFL inside linebacker Zach Orr, would get Leonard back to something close to his best.
Ravens Could Use Another Mentor for Trenton Simpson
Leonard wants to play again. He explained as much to the Indianapolis Star’s Kyle Smedley: “I’m moreso just sitting back, getting the body healthy, and whenever the opportunity presents itself, we’ll give it a try.”
A return to the gridiron is on his mind, but Leonard also made it clear he’s okay with the idea of retirement. The chance to play for the Ravens would give him two good reasons to extend his playing days.
First would be the chance to play for a team with legitimate Super Bowl ambitions this year. The second would be Leonard’s inevitable role as another veteran mentor for Simpson.
Between Smith and new play-caller Orr, who has already impressed players with his patience and ability to listen, Smith is sure to get the right education. Yet it couldn’t hurt to have another voice of experience instructing one of the Ravens’ potential breakout candidates.
Signing Leonard to a veteran minimum deal and letting him play his way back into form as part of a strong unit makes perfect sense for the Ravens.