When Indianapolis Colts interim head coach Jeff Saturday takes the reins for Sunday’s game against the Las Vegas Raiders he will be without one of the best players in the league.
According to NFL insider Ian Rapoport, linebacker Shaquille Leonard suffered a setback in practice this week while dealing with a back injury and is now heading for injured reserve. As a result, he is out for at least the next four games – potentially more.
Leonard has been limited to just three games and 74 snaps all season as he battles a string of injuries. He has 11 tackles and an interception.
Leonard has been an All-Pro player every season since his NFL debut in 2018. He won Defensive Rookie of the Year honors that season and was voted to the Pro Bowl in each of the next three years.
Fortunately for the Indianapolis Colts, the team has managed to maintain a top 15 defense in the NFL even with Leonard unavailable for six of their nine games.
It’s the offense – which has gone from being a solid unit for four straight years – to dead last this season. Head coach Frank Reich has since been fired while owner Jim Irsay hired his longtime friend Jeff Saturday to run the team as interim head coach.
Even so, the loss of Shaq Leonard is going to loom large for the rest of the season.
Can the Colts overcome his loss and continue to perform well on defense?