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The NFL — much like life — often comes down to timing, and the timing of Anthony Walker Jr.’s injury couldn’t be better for the Cleveland Browns.
Cleveland lost its middle linebacker and team captain to an unfortunate hamstring strain last weekend against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The first bit of good news is that it doesn’t appear Walker is headed to the injured reserve list (IR). The second piece of good fortune is that one of the league’s best players at the position over the last several years just inexplicably became available on the free agent market.
In an unexpected move, the Indianapolis Colts released three-time first-team All-Pro and 2018 Defensive Rookie of the Year Darius Shaquille Leonard on Tuesday, November 21. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Leonard cleared waivers on Wednesday and is now free to sign with whichever team he chooses.
“Colts’ three-time All-Pro LB Darius Shaquille Leonard cleared waivers today, per source. He is now a free agent,” Schefter posted to X. “Teams expected to have some level of interest include the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys.”
Both the Eagles and Cowboys have impressive defenses and Super Bowl aspirations along with a potential need at linebacker. The Browns share all three of those characteristics following Walker’s injury, which renders Cleveland a reasonable candidate for Leonard’s services as well, particularly because he should come cheaper than normal considering the circumstances of his departure from Indy.
Darius Leonard Can Offer Browns Good Value for Stretch Run
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GettyFormer Indianapolis Colts linebacker Darius Shaquille Leonard.
Only preliminary reports have begun to circulate, which means the full picture of NFL interest in Leonard is not yet in focus. That said, the breadth of that interest should be considerable.
Leonard, now 28 years old, signed a five-year, $98.5 million contract extension with the Colts in August 2021. He played out just over half of that deal before Indianapolis released him ahead of Week 12. The move means Leonard’s contract is now void and he will negotiate completely new terms with whichever team signs him.
It may end up behooving the inside linebacker to try and make a long-term deal now rather than waiting until free agency in March, simply because he runs the risk of injury over the final seven weeks of the regular season and the playoffs — assuming he joins a contender that will participate in them. Leonard underwent back surgery in June 2022, and health issues kept him sidelined for all but three games last season. He has played in and started nine of the Colts’ 10 contests through 11 weeks in 2023.
Often times, however, a quality player who becomes available late in the year reaches a pro-rated deal with a contender and uses the time the following offseason provides to shop his services and find the best long-term arrangement. If that proves the case, Leonard should be available at reasonable value for the stretch run, which puts teams like the Browns who have ample cap space remaining (more than $33.5 million as of Wednesday) in an advantageous position.
A second-round pick in 2018, Leonard has amassed 614 tackles, including 32 tackles for loss, 31 pass breakups, 20 QB hits, 17 forced fumbles, 15 sacks, 12 interceptions and a defensive touchdown across 70 games played.
Anthony Walker to Avoid Long Absence with Hamstring Injury
GettyLinebacker Anthony Walker Jr. #5 of the Cleveland Browns.
It doesn’t appear as though the Browns will need to replace Walker for the remainder of the season, though he is likely to miss a good portion of the stretch run.
Head coach Kevin Stefanski met with reporters Wednesday and said the team doesn’t plan to send Walker to IR, which would require him to miss at least four games. The subsequent assumption, then, is that Cleveland expects Walker to miss between 1-3 contests.
The Browns are 7-3 and will face the Denver Broncos and Los Angeles Rams on the road before returning to Cleveland for a matchup with the Jacksonville Jaguars on December 10. That schedule isn’t exactly a murder’s row of opponents, but the three teams have a combined record of 16-14 and the Broncos are among the NFL’s hottest teams with four wins in row.
Cleveland designated linebacker Jordan Kunaszyk for return on Wednesday, per Ashley Bastock of Cleveland.com, which means he and backup Mohamoud Diabate could be the team’s answer to Walker’s injury. However, Kunaszyk hasn’t played all season, which makes him a risky bet. Meanwhile, Diabate has played more on special teams and has seen the field on just five defensive snaps all season.
Leonard’s advanced numbers have dipped significantly since his injury-plagued 2022 campaign, per Pro Football Focus, as have his traditional statistics. That said, he has been healthier than Kunaszyk all year and offers more NFL experience and a significant upgrade over any other linebackers currently on the Browns’ active roster.
As such, if the Browns can acquire Leonard on a pro-rated deal at value through the end of the 2023 campaign and solidify the middle of the league’s top-rated defense in the process, it is a move that makes considerable sense.
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