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Bills Named Top Landing Spot for Shaquille Leonard, With a ‘Caveat’

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Shaquille Leonard

Getty A to Z Sports' Destin Adams named the Detroit Lions as a potential landing spot for former All-Pro linebacker Shaquille Leonard.

The Buffalo Bills have made two impactful late-season additions to their defense to make up for injuries, landing cornerback Rasul Douglas at the trade deadline and signing defensive tackle Linval Joseph.

One insider believes there could still be one more huge addition on the way — All-Pro linebacker Shaquille Leonard.

The Indianapolis Colts made waves with the unexpected release of Leonard this week, a move that also sparked speculation about what team will pick him up next. Though the cash-strapped Bills are seen as having only an outside chance, Bleacher Report’s Paul Kasabian wrote that he could be headed to Buffalo if the circumstances are right.

Bills Could Land Replacement for Matt Milano

Kasabian noted that the Bills have a big hole in their defense after losing All-Pro and Pro Bowler Matt Milano to a fractured leg. While the Bills might not be able to match other offers for Leonard, Kasabian pegged them as a contender with a “caveat” — that Leonard would need to be willing to take a smaller “prove it” contract.

“Leonard could, in theory, sign with the Bills on a one-year minimum deal in hopes of landing a more lucrative, long-term contract elsewhere,” Kasabian wrote. “He’d have an opportunity to showcase his talents for a Bills team with plenty of talent on both sides of the ball but only a 6-5 record to show for it.

“A late-season run en route to a playoff berth is certainly within the realm of possibility, and that can help Leonard showcase himself at his best with a fresh start in Western New York.”

Though there have been no reports connecting the Bills to Leonard, the team has shown a willingness to make additions to the defense with the trade for Douglas and signing of Joseph.

Shaquille Leonard Would Help for Critical Stretch

Should the Bills make a run at Leonard, he would join the defense at the most critical juncture of the season. The Bills face a challenging stretch that starts with a trip to Philadelphia to take on the Eagles on November 26.

Bills head coach Sean McDermott shared some big praise for the Eagles and the offense they have put together.

“You talk about a good football team, this is a good football team in all three phases,” McDermott said, via Mike Catalana of 13 WHAM. “I think Howie Roseman does a great job every year of putting a Super Bowl-caliber team on the field. That’s hard to do every year, and he’s done that. What they do offensively, they can run the football. They made one of the best moves in recent NFL history to go get A.J. Brown the way they did, and how that’s helped their offense, in addition to the other weapons they already have.”

After a bye week — time that Leonard could get acclimated should he sign in Buffalo — the Bills go back on the road to take on the Kansas City Chiefs before returning home to face the Dallas Cowboys.

After moving to 6-5 with a win over the New York Jets on November 19, the Bills have little room for error and may need help to move back into the playoff bracket.

Nathan Dougherty is a sports reporter covering the NFL for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Buffalo Bills, Detroit Lions and Miami Dolphins. Previously he wrote for the Rochester Business Journal and served as the assistant editor of athletic trade magazines Coaching Management, Athletic Management and Training & Conditioning. He is based out of Rochester, New York, and loves everything football. More about Nathan Dougherty

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