Darius Leonard on PUP

[JAFF]

Originally Posted by Hoopsdoc

I’m starting to get the feeling that this is gonna be an issue into the season.

You may be right

https://www.indystar.com/story/sport...k/65410024007/

WESTFIELD — All-Pro Colts linebacker Shaquille Leonard remains on the physically/unable to perform list, and he hasn’t practiced at all in training camp so far.

Leonard has been on the field for every practice, and he’s started throwing to the other linebackers in the drills.

But the Colts have not set a timetable yet for Leonard’s return from offseason back surgery, a procedure that was designed to relieve the pressure two discs in his spine were putting on his nerves, an injury that caused functionality problems in his left calf and ankle.

Indianapolis is expecting Leonard to take a little time to get back to full speed once he’s fully healthy.

“When he gets cleared, he’s not going to be 100%, and I think he is going to have to work his way back into it,” Colts head coach Frank Reich said. “This has happened to everybody, right? This happens to all the great ones.”


For example, Reich cited Peyton Manning’s performance after undergoing July surgery to remove a bursa sac from his left knee in 2008.

“He played the first four games, and he was a mere shell of what (he normally was), but we found ways to win (some of) those games, and he found ways to play winning football,” Reich said as Manning had a 79.2 passer rating over the first four games and 101.1 the rest of the season. “Until finally, around Week 5 or Week 6, he hit his stride.”


Because of the lingering back issue, Leonard already has experience playing at less than full strength.

Leonard’s left ankle gave him trouble throughout the 2021 season, robbing him of his signature explosiveness, but he still found a way to play 91.8% of the snaps and make 122 tackles, eight forced fumbles, four interceptions and three fumble recoveries.

From the sounds of it, Leonard may need to draw on that experience again when he returns to the lineup.


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“He is going to have to figure out how to play feeling the way he feels,” Reich said. “Not feeling 100%, feeling like maybe this isn’t quite all the way back, but I’ve still got to figure out how to play winning football.”