The Philadelphia Eagles are an ideal landing spot for the top player on the free agency market.
The Indianapolis Colts waived linebacker and three-time Pro Bowler Shaquille Leonard in a surprising move on Tuesday, November 21. The veteran linebacker will now enter the waiver process and if he clears waivers, will be free to sign with whichever team of his choosing.
As FanBuzz’s Matt Lombardo writes, the Eagles are one of the five “best fits” for the 28-year-old linebacker.
“Few teams, or general managers, are as bold and aggressive as Howie Roseman and the Eagles. If Leonard clears waivers, expect Roseman and the Eagles to be in the mix,” writes Lombardo. “Just this season, Roseman acquired veteran safety Kevin Byard, in a trade with the Tennessee Titans, inked veteran wide receiver Julio Jones to a deal, and Philadelphia consistently seems to be in the mix whenever top talent becomes available.
“If the Eagles have one spot defensively where they are a bit banged up and a little thin, it would be at linebacker. Leonard has a reputation for being a magnet to the football, and could elevate Philadelphia’s defense while adding another veteran voice to a largely youthful front-seven.”
Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network called the move “stunning.”
Eagles Lacking Depth at Linebacker Position
It’s no secret that one of the big voids on the Eagles’ roster is at linebacker.
Starting linebacker Nakobe Dean is out indefinitely after undergoing foot surgery and is currently on injured reserve. Nicholas Morrow is currently starting in place of Dean, but the team is lacking experienced depth after the top three starters.
Morrow is currently doing a superb job filling in for Dean. The 28-year-old linebacker has posted an 82.5 defensive grade and 90.5 pass-rushing grade this season, according to Pro Football Focus. Among linebackers who see regular playing time (at least 100 snaps), Morrow ranks 14th in defensive grade and leads all players at his position in pass-rushing grade.
Meanwhile, training camp signee Zach Cunningham is starting at outside linebacker — a position that Leonard has played all season long — and has been solid, but unspectacular. According to PFF, Cunningham has posted a 69.0 defensive grade, 59.1 run defensive grade, 52.9 pass-rushing grade and 74.3 grade in coverage.
Why the Eagles Should Sign Shaquille Leonard
By comparison, Leonard is the definition of a playmaker, as Nate Adkins of the Indianapolis Star noted. While the Eagles’ linebackers are steady, none of them possess the playmaking abilities of Leonard.
“He became known for his splash plays, and from 2018-21, he provided 15 sacks, 17 forced fumbles (tied for second most in the NFL), seven fumble recoveries (tied for third most by a defensive player) and 11 interceptions (most by a linebacker),” Adkins wrote.
Leonard had been limited in his ability to make splash plays since returning from his second back surgery due to decreased playing time. After seeing action on at least 93% of the defensive snaps in each of his first four seasons, he had seen action on only 64% of his defensive snaps this season.
Considering the Eagles are always looking to add pieces — especially playmakers — as they seek their first Super Bowl title of the Jalen Hurts era, Leonard would make perfect sense for Philadelphia if he clears waivers.
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Eagles May Have Chance to Land Pro Bowl Linebacker After ‘Stunning’ Release