The Eagles are coming off just their second loss of the season — a 42-19 defeat at the hands of the 49ers — but reinforcements are on the way to aid Philadelphia's defense.
Who might that reinforcement be? It's former Colts linebacker Shaquille Leonard.
Leonard spent the first five-plus seasons of his career with the Colts after being a second-round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. The South Carolina State product quickly emerged as one of the most dynamic linebackers in the NFL, leading the league in tackles as a rookie with 163 and being named an All-Pro three times in his first four years.
However, Leonard has dealt with injuries in recent seasons that sapped him of some of his athletic ability. That allowed Zaire Franklin and E.J. Speed to overtake him on the Indianapolis depth chart and the Colts ultimately released him after their bye as a result.
That made Leonard a prominent in-season free agent, one who would have plenty of upside in the right situation. He made visits to Philadelphia and Dallas before ultimately choosing the Eagles as his next team.
MORE: Why the Colts released Shaquille Leonard, explained
But why did Leonard go with the Eagles over the Cowboys? Here's what to know about his free agency decision, which comes just ahead of Dallas and Philadelphia's Week 14 showdown.
Why did Shaquille Leonard sign with the Eagles?
According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, the Eagles were "always the preferred spot" for Leonard. It makes sense when breaking down Philadelphia's roster construction.
While the Eagles returned most of the roster that went to a Super Bowl last season, they endured a key loss at linebacker, where T.J. Edwards defected to sign a big-money deal with the Bears. The expectation was that Nakobe Dean would take over for him in his second year with the team, but he has struggled to stay healthy.
As such, the Eagles have been relying mostly on Zach Cunningham and Nicholas Morrow to man the position. Both have been solid, but the Eagles don't have proven depth beyond them. Thus, it makes sense for them to add the experienced Leonard in the hopes that he can rekindle his career in Philadelphia.
From Leonard's standpoint, joining the Eagles is ideal for two reasons. First, he has an easy path to earning playing time because of the team's lack of linebacker depth. Second, he gets to play for a legitimate Super Bowl contender, something that he never did during his five-plus seasons in Indianapolis.
So, this marriage looks like a sensible one on the surface.
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Why didn't Shaquille Leonard sign with the Cowboys?
It isn't clear exactly why Leonard chose the Eagles over the Cowboys after visiting both teams. Like the Eagles, the Cowboys are a contender and the team has similar depth issues at the position as well.
Because of Leighton Vander Esch's season-ending injury, the Cowboys are relying heavily on Damone Clark and Markquese Bell at the linebacker position. They recently signed Rashaan Evans to the roster to serve as the team's third linebacker, so they are just as thin as the Eagles are at the position — if not thinner.
Perhaps Leonard prefers his fit in Sean Desei's scheme in Philadelphia compared to Dan Quinn's in Dallas. Or maybe he sees more of a future with the Eagles because Clark, Bell and DeMarvion Overshown (who is recovering from a torn ACL) are all young talents.
Either way, the Cowboys will now have to deal with the blow of not just being scorned by Leonard, but seeing him go to their division rival as well.
Shaquille Leonard contract
Leonard's contract with the Eagles is just a one-year deal. The contract is worth $1.08 million and carries a cap hit of $300,000.
He will be an unrestricted free agent again during the 2024 offseason.
Shaquille Leonard age
Leonard is 28 years old. He was born on July 27, 1995.
The 2023 NFL season marks Leonard's sixth in the league.
