The NFL, like life, often comes down to timing, and Anthony Walker Jr.’s injury couldn’t have come at a better time for the Cleveland Browns.
Last weekend against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Cleveland’s middle linebacker and team captain suffered a hamstring strain. The first piece of good news is that Walker does not appear to be on the injured reserve list (IR). The second stroke of luck is that one of the league’s best players at the position in recent years has suddenly become available on the free agent market.
On Tuesday, November 21, the Indianapolis Colts released three-time first-team All-Pro and 2018 Defensive Rookie of the Year Darius Shaquille Leonard in an unexpected move. Leonard cleared waivers on Wednesday, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, and is now free to sign with whichever team he wants.
“Three-time All-Pro linebacker Darius Shaquille Leonard of the Indianapolis Colts cleared waivers today, according to a source.” “He’s now a free agent,” Schefter announced on X. “Teams expected to have some level of interest include the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys.”
Both the Eagles and the Cowboys have strong defenses and Super Bowl aspirations, as well as a possible need at linebacker. Following Walker’s injury, the Browns share all three of those characteristics, making Cleveland a viable candidate for Leonard’s services as well, especially given the circumstances surrounding his departure from Indy.
Because only preliminary reports have begun to circulate, the full picture of NFL interest in Leonard is not yet clear. Having said that, the scope of that interest should be substantial.
Leonard, now 28, agreed to a five-year, $98.5 million contract extension with the Colts that will begin in August 2021. He completed just over half of that contract before being released by Indianapolis prior to Week 12. Leonard’s contract is now null and void, and he will have to negotiate completely new terms with whichever team signs him.
It may benefit the inside linebacker to try to sign a long-term deal now rather than wait until free agency in March, simply because he risks injury during the final seven weeks of the regular season and the playoffs — assuming he joins a contender that will compete in them. Leonard had back surgery in June 2022, and he missed all but three games last season due to health issues. Through 11 weeks in 2023, he has appeared in and started nine of the Colts’ ten games.
However, it is not uncommon for a quality player who becomes available late in the season to sign a pro-rated deal with a contender and then use the time provided by the following offseason to shop his services and find the best long-term deal. If that is the case, Leonard should be available at a reasonable price for the remainder of the season, which puts teams like the Browns, who have plenty of cap space remaining (more than $33.5 million as of Wednesday), in a good position.
Leonard, a second-round pick in 2018, has 614 tackles, 32 tackles for loss, 31 pass breakups, 20 QB hits, 17 forced fumbles, 15 sacks, 12 interceptions, and a defensive touchdown in 70 games.
The Browns do not appear to need to replace Walker for the rest of the season, though he is expected to miss a significant portion of the stretch run.
Head coach Kevin Stefanski met with reporters on Wednesday and stated that the team does not intend to place Walker on injured reserve, which would require him to miss at least four games. The logical conclusion is that Cleveland expects Walker to miss between 1-3 games.
The Browns are 7-3 and will travel to face the Denver Broncos and Los Angeles Rams before returning home to face the Jacksonville Jaguars on December 10. The 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 one of the NFL’s hottest teams, having won four straight games.
According to Ashley Bastock of Cleveland.com, Cleveland designated linebacker Jordan Kunaszyk for return on Wednesday, which means he and backup Mohamoud Diabate could be the team’s answer to Walker’s injury. Kunaszyk, on the other hand, hasn’t played all season, making him a risky bet. Diabate, on the other hand, has spent more time on special teams and has only played five defensive snaps this season.
According to Pro Football Focus, Leonard’s advanced numbers have dropped significantly since his injury-plagued 2022 season, as have his traditional statistics. However, he has been in better shape than Kunaszyk all season and provides more NFL experience and a significant upgrade over any other linebacker on the Browns’ active roster.
As a result, if the Browns can sign Leonard to a pro-rated deal with a value through the end of the 2023 season while also solidifying the middle of the league’s top-rated defense, it is a move that makes a lot of sense.
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