FRISCO, TX — One thing is for certain, and that's the fact the Dallas Cowboys' defense is one of the best, and literally the best in several categories, in the entire NFL. That does not mean, however, that there isn't room to apply some justifiable overkill to the equation, and that's where Shaquille Leonard comes in.
The veteran linebacker was waived last week by the Indianapolis Colts, sending the four-time All-Pro to the waiver wire, where he cleared and landed in free agency with the ability to sign with any team he chooses.
And that could possibly be the Cowboys.
Leonard is scheduled to visit with the organization this week, per multiple reports, as the team prepares to host the Seattle Seahawks on Thursday, having already begun their due diligence on the 28-year-old — as confirmed by owner and general manager Jerry Jones last week. It's clear they're satisfied in what they've seen and heard thus far, leading to the looming sitdown.
You can count head coach Mike McCarthy in as being in Leonard — noting on Monday morning that the Cowboys are "definitely interested" in the possibility of signing him.
A former second-round pick of the Colts in 2018, Leonard fired right out of the gate as the heartbeat of their defense and, at times, arguably the best linebacker in the league. His first season as a professional ended in honors on the PFWA All-Rookie Team as the NFL leader in tackles that season.
He'd go on to sign a five-year extension with Indianapolis in 2021 to become the highest-paid at his position, but the injury bug then took a bite. He suffered a back injury that landed him on injured reserve in 2022, and things never returned to previous form in his relationship with the Colts.
The Cowboys aren't the only team courting Leonard, and not even the only one in the NFC East, per multiple reports, but they've got a very real chance of adding him to their roster — contingent upon how the meeting goes this week.
