Shaq Leonard contract details, grade: Eagles bolster LB group with Pro Bowler

The Indianapolis Colts waived Shaq Leonard a couple weeks ago, allowing the 28-year-old to seek a contender on the open market. With three Pro Bowl appearances to his name, there was naturally a wave of interest in Leonard, who quickly narrowed his search down to two NFC contenders — the Dallas Cowboys and the Philadelphia Eagles.

Well, the decision is officially official. Leonard will join the Eagles on a one-year contract for the remainder of the season.

Shaq Leonard contract details: Eagles sign LB for rest of season

The exact financial details of Leonard's contract have not been released, but it's probably a small sum. Leonard has struggled mightily with injuries stemming from a back problem he first suffered in 2021. He appeared in only three games during the 2022 season. In nine games in 2023, Leonard accumulated 65 tackles, two for a loss.

He started in all nine appearances for Indianapolis this season, but Leonard's production was noticeably hamstrung compared to his prime output. The 2018 second-round pick spent his first five and a half seasons with Indy, including three consecutive Pro Bowl berths from 2019 to 2021.

Shaq Leonard contract grade

The Eagles' linebacker corps was exposed in Sunday's 42-19 loss to the San Francisco 49ers — a proper wake-up call for the NFC's No. 1 seed. Philadelphia has been more or less able to come from behind in every game up until Sunday. The Niners attacked the middle of the defense with great success. Christian McCaffrey went for 133 yards from scrimmage and scored. Deebo Samuel went for 138 yards and scored thrice.

Leonard was a full-time starter in Indianapolis, but he is expected to operate as a depth piece in Philadelphia. He probably wouldn't join the Eagles if there wasn't an opportunity to play, but the Eagles' linebacker room is not without notable talent. That said, injuries to Zach Cunningham and Nakobe Dean leave the door wide open for Leonard to make an impact.

It is, of course, fair to wonder how much of an impact Leonard can actually make. The résumé speaks for itself, but Leonard hasn't impacted winning at a high level in years. The injury concern and rust is very real. Leonard should probably be thought of as depth, rather than a material upgrade. That said, a change of scenery and the motivation to compete for a championship could lead to marked improvement. He clearly has the talent within him to dominate. As a rookie in 2018, Leonard led the entire NFL with 168 tackles.

Philadelphia has multiple reasons to feel good about this. It's a low-risk move to address a position of need, and it keeps Dallas from getting better. That's a double victory.

Grade: B