The Indianapolis Colts will not have linebacker Shaquille Leonard on the field when they face the Denver Broncos on Thursday Night Football in Week 5. The Colts ruled out Leonard on October 3 because of concussions.
Unfortunately for the Colts, it’s also possibly Leonard won’t be available later in October either.
Indianapolis head coach Frank Reich told the media on October 4 that Leonard broke his nose when he collided with fellow Colts linebacker Zaire Franklin during the second quarter against the Tennessee Titans in Week 4. That was the same play where Leonard suffered his concussion.
Frank Reich confirms that LB Shaquille Leonard broke his nose on that play Sunday, and the team is waiting for the swelling to go down to further determine how long it’ll keep him out. This is on top of the concussion.
Dealing with both a concussion and broken nose, Colts insider Mike Chappell of CBS and Fox Sports, along with Sports Illustrated’s Zach Hicks, speculated whether Indianapolis might place Leonard on injured reserve.
Leonard Suffered Concussion, Broken Nose in Return Against Titans
The 3-time All-Pro linebacker missed the first 3 weeks of the 2022 season because of offseason back surgery. Leonard underwent his surgery on June 7 to repair a nerve that caused pain in his left ankle and calf during 2021. He sat out all of training camp, returning to practice the day after roster cutdown day.
At that time, the Colts elected to keep Leonard off injured reserve so he could return to practice. Leonard practiced in full, testing his back and getting his body into football playing shape, for 2 weeks before making his 2022 season debut in Week 4.
The debut was short, though, with Leonard exiting before halftime because of a head injury.
It’s impossible to replace an All-Pro caliber player such as Leonard, but the Colts will have to versus the Broncos.
Could Colts Place Leonard on Injured Reserve?
As Reich said on October 4, the Colts will have to wait for Leonard’s swelling in his face to decrease before determining a timetable for his return. But injured reserve appears to be a possibility at this point.
Under the new NFL rules, if the Colts place Leonard on injured reserve, he will miss at least 4 games. Should the Colts have the linebacker on IR before kickoff in Week 5, Leonard would be eligible to return to the active roster on November 6.
If the Colts wait until after playing the Broncos to place Leonard on IR, then the earliest he could be back would be November 13. Playing on Thursday in Week 5 means the Colts only have 2 days to let Leonard’s swelling go down before their next game.
But even though injured reserve is a possibility for Leonard, it still doesn’t appear to be the most likely outcome.
Again, Indianapolis declined to place the linebacker on injured reserve at the beginning of the season. The main reason for that decision was so he could practice, but it also allowed Leonard to return whenever he was ready. That decision allowed Leonard to return in Week 4 instead of Week 5 or later.
With the Colts reeling at 1-2-1, it seems likely Reich would make a similar decision now. If there’s any chance Leonard could return before early November, Indianapolis probably won’t place him on IR.
He’s too important of a player to unnecessarily, automatically rule out for 4 weeks.
NFL players have dressed and played with broken noses previously. Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger didn’t miss a snap despite suffering a broken nose against the Baltimore Ravens during a game in December 2010. Roethlisberger played the following week too.
Although never diagnosed with a broken nose, defensive end J.J. Watt suffered a deep gash on the bridge of his nose during a game in 2013. The wound required 6 stitches, and it re-opened every time he played for the remainder of that season.
Leonard’s nose injury may not be the same as Roethlisberger’s or Watt’s. But it’s possible he won’t need 4 weeks to recover. The Colts will know more once the swelling in the linebacker’s face decreases.
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