Cowboys receive good news on their chances to land three-time Pro Bowler
Dallas Cowboys rumors are swirling about the team’s interest in recently released star linebacker, Darius “Shaq” Leonard.
One of the biggest obstacles to the Cowboys signing Leonard is his hefty contract.
If the Cowboys claimed Leonard, they would have to foot the bill for the rest of the five-year $98.5-million deal he signed with the Indianapolis Colts.
The Cowboys passed on claiming Leonard, as did the rest of the NFL.
Good news for Dallas is that they now have the ability to negotiate a new deal with Leonard (if there’s a mutual interest) on their own terms.
According to an ESPN report by Ed Werder, the Cowboys have an interest in Leonard, but they won’t be the only team looking for the veteran.
According to a source, the Cowboys are inquiring about Shaq Leonard. However, other playoff-contending teams are likely to also be interested in the outside linebacker. The Cowboys’ run defense has been a weak spot all season, and it’s only been made worse by the season-ending injuries suffered by their star defensive end, Leighton Vander esch.
Dallas is in a bidding war with Philadelphia for the Dallas Cowboys’ top draft pick, defensive end Darius Shaquille Leonard.
It appears that the Cowboys will be joined by some familiar faces in the Leonard sweepstakes. ESPN’s Adam Schefter has listed the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys as potential landing spots for the superstar.
According to a source, Indianapolis Colts three-time first-team All-Pro defensive end Shaquille Leonard has cleared waivers and will be a free agent.
According to a November 22 tweet from ESPN’s Adam Schefter, teams that are expected to have some interest in Leonard include: the Philadelphia Eagles, and the Dallas Cowboys.
The Cowboys could be a good fit for Shaquille Leonard if they were to lose their star defensive end Leighton Vander esch for the season.
Leonard’s addition comes at a good time for Dallas, who just lost Pro Bowl defensive end Leighton Vander esch to a season-ending knee injury. The 22-year-old Vander esch may not be back to his Pro Bowl form, but he could be a valuable contributor to the Cowboys defense.
Without going into the specifics of the game, I believe Shaquille would be a great mentor/leadership point for Damon Clark and Marcus Bell, Pro Football Focus’ John Owning wrote. “Leonard could be the ideal mentor for the undersized linebackers in today’s NFL,” Owning added. “It’ll take a few days for a decision to be made by the Dallas Cowboys.”
Dallas Cowboys Target Shaq Leonard
Prior to being released, Leonard had a season-high 65 tackles in 9 starts for the Indianapolis Colts.
Leonard is coming off a two-year stretch in which he recorded 122 tackles (8 TFLs), 8 PD, 4 INTs and 3 FR in 16 starts in 2021.
This campaign earned Leonard both All-Pro and Pro Bowl nominations. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports Leonard could take “a few days to make a decision.”
“Colts LB Shaq Leonard has cleared waivers and is officially a free agent, source said,” Rapoport tweeted on November 22. “Indy picks up the $6.1M he has left on his contract and the former All-Pro can sign anywhere. He may take a few days to make a decision.”
Ultimately, it will be interesting to see how aggressive the Cowboys will be in their pursuit of Leonard. After passing on making a deal at the trade deadline, Dallas gets another opportunity to land a marquee player.
