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Colts LB Shaquille Leonard working back after groin injury, dropping snap count
Chloe Peterson
Indianapolis Star

INDIANAPOLIS -- After multiple seasons defined by sitting on the sidelines because of injury, Colts linebacker Shaquille Leonard is almost back to full strength.

The three-time All-Pro has been sidelined by a multitude of injuries since 2020, including a broken ankle, multiple concussions, a broken nose, and two back surgeries. He played just three games in 2022 because of his back injuries.

Leonard was still limited throughout training camp and the beginning of the season, working back from his back injury. He seemed to be back to full strength in the Colts' season-opener, playing 86% of Indianapolis' defensive snaps.

After that, though, his snap count decreased week-by-week -- for what the Colts' said was part of a plan to ramp him back up to full speed. He played 72% of defensive snaps in Week 2, 69% of snaps in Week 3, and just 45% of snaps in Week 4.


Leonard has also been inhibited by an unrelated groin injury, which kept him out of the Colts' Week 5 game against the Titans.

"When we sat down and looked at it, we just felt like we're going to have a plan in mind and follow that plan," Colts defensive coordinator Gus Bradley said Oct. 3. "There may be more, there may be less reps, but it's based on how we're going to bring him back."


More:Why Colts are playing Shaquille Leonard less and why they expect to increase his snaps

At the same time, defensive end Tyquan Lewis had season-ending patellar injuries in two straight years but is back in the playing rotation, giving hope to Leonard.

"Oh man, it's amazing to see him go through all the things that he's been though and then go back out there and play as well as he did," Leonard said. "Him and I have battling through the same thing for the past few years, so we've been kind of in each other's ears, try to push each other ... you definitely love to see that, you continue to grow, continue to build up better and better."


Heading into Week 6, Leonard is targeting a full return from his groin injury. He was a full participant at practice on Wednesday and is aiming to be active in Jacksonville on Sunday.

He'll still be limited; the Colts are anticipating a November return to full strength for their highest-paid linebacker. This is an important season for Leonard, who signed a five-year, $98.25 million contract with $52.5 million guaranteed in 2021. He is set to be paid $15.7 million this year. Next season is the first year that the Colts could save money on the salary cap by cutting him; they would absorb $8 million in dead cap space and have just over $12 million in cap savings.


"This Sunday doesn't get bigger," Leonard said. "You just got to go in, take full advantage of the opportunity, go in and play good ball and hopefully come out with another victory."