Steelers Labeled Potential Landing Spot for Former $98 Million Star LB

Getty CBS Sports named the Pittsburgh Steelers a possible landing spot for 3-time first-team All-Pro linebacker Shaquille Leonard.

The Dallas Cowboys have made it very clear that they are interested in signing free agent linebacker Shaquille Leonard. He has a visit scheduled with the Cowboys on November 28.

But if he leaves Dallas without a deal, CBS Sports’ Tyler Sullivan and Garrett Podell predicted the Pittsburgh Steelers as another place where Leonard could land.

On November 28, Sullivan and Podell named the Steelers second after the Cowboys on a list of potential landing spots for Leonard.

“The Steelers linebacker room has been decimated with injuries. So much so, that they needed to lure Myles Jack out of retirement to help fill the void,” Sullivan and Podell wrote. “Cole Holcomb and Kwon Alexander both suffered season-ending injuries recently and were starting Mykal Walker last Sunday against the Browns after he was previously on the practice squad.

“Leonard could realistically come in and compete for a starting job or insert himself into the rotation with Walker, Jack, and Elandon Roberts to help stabilize this group for Pittsburgh.”

In addition to the Steelers and Cowboys, Sullivan and Podell named the Buffalo Bills, Philadelphia Eagles and Chicago Bears as possible landing spots for the veteran linebacker.

Leonard is available because he cleared waivers since the Indianapolis Colts waived him on November 21.

In 2021, the Colts signed Leonard to a 5-year, $98.5 million contract.

What Can Shaquille Leonard Provide His Next Team?

There isn’t much debate that from 2018-21, Leonard was the best inside linebacker in the NFL.

As a rookie, he led the NFL with 163 combined tackles, including a league-high 111 solos. Leonard won the Defensive Rookie of the Year award and made first-team All-Pro.

He made first-team All-Pro again in 2020 and 2021. During 2021, Leonard led the NFL with 8 forced fumbles. He also had 4 interceptions. Leonard made second-team All-Pro during the 2019 season when he had a career-high 5 picks.

Since 2018, Leonard is the only NFL defender with more than 15 sacks and 10 interceptions.

But injuries have slowed Leonard the past two seasons. He underwent back surgery in June 2022 to fix nerves impacting his left calf and ankle. Leonard started the 2022 season on injured reserve.

In his return to the field last year during Week 5, he sustained a concussion and broken nose. The concussion caused him to miss three games. Leonard then suffered a setback in his back injury prior to Week 10, which landed him back on injured reserve for the rest of 2022.

Leonard played nine games for the Colts this season, but his playing time was limited. While on the field, he didn’t make the same impact as his first few years in the NFL.

He may not be the same All-Pro player, but Leonard could be an immediate boost for any team looking for help at inside linebacker.

Steelers a Possible Destination for Leonard?

Pittsburgh is an obvious choice as a landing spot for Leonard because of the injuries at inside linebacker Sullivan and Podell detailed.

The Steelers will be without Cole Holcomb and Kwon Alexander the rest of the season. Without both of them the past two weeks, Elandon Roberts has played every defensive snap. Furthermore, Mykal Walker, who the Steelers signed from the practice squad to the active roster on November 18, has played significant snaps.

Even if the Steelers elect to continue starting Roberts and Walker, Pittsburgh could use Leonard for depth. The other two inside linebackers on the Steelers roster, Mark Robinson and Blake Martinez, didn’t appear on defense in Week 12.

Other than depth, Leonard could offer more playmaking upside than either Robinson or Martinez. The Steelers clearly don’t trust Robinson, as evidenced by his lack of playing despite having been on the roster the entire season.