A notable development unfolded in the football landscape this week as the Indianapolis Colts unexpectedly released three-time All-Pro linebacker Shaquille Leonard, who subsequently cleared waivers. Reports emerged linking Leonard to interest from the Dallas Cowboys in the aftermath of his release.
Following the Cowboys’ decisive 45-10 victory over the Washington Commanders, team owner and general manager Jerry Jones addressed inquiries about Leonard. Jones refrained from disclosing the team’s level of interest but confirmed that the Cowboys had initiated contact with Leonard’s representatives.
“Contact has been made, but I’m sure every team is assuming that if they are in the hunt, that they could have an interest in him,” Jones stated. “But first, we have some questions we need to check on health-wise, things like that. I don’t, right now, want to be on that list. I want to go do our homework and see if this thing might fit us. We’ve done no more than that.”
Leonard’s potential addition gains significance following the season-ending loss of veteran linebacker Leighton Vander Esch. It could bring a seasoned presence to the team’s defensive second level. However, Jones remained cautious about prematurely assessing Leonard’s impact.
“I don’t know about that,” he remarked. “We had a short meeting on that before the game, and we’ll see how we do with our evaluation. We’ll look at him pretty closely, considering health factors. I know many teams are looking at him. I don’t want to give an indication of the degree of our interest with him.”
While the linebacker unit has been anchored by second-year players Damone Clark and Markquese Bell, who have excelled in expanded roles, Jones commended their performances. He refrained from explicitly indicating whether Leonard could be a viable alternative for the team.
“Well, [Clark] played outstanding out there tonight,” Jones praised. “I sure like the way overall we’re playing – our linebackers are playing. I won’t be commenting right now on whether Leonard is a viable alternative for us or not.”
