As the Tennessee Titans languish toward the bottom third of the NFL power rankings, a major question mark on defense adds a little salt to that perceived wound. A perfect move to fill out the roster before the 2024 training camp would be the addition of veteran linebacker Shaq Leonard.
The former Indianapolis Colts' standout is still available on the free-agent market and would fit nicely for the Titans. The 6-foot-2, 235-pounder is three years removed from a string of four straight All-Pro honors, but likely has something left in the tank.
And Tennessee is in desperate need at the linebacker position. According to Justin Melo of The Draft Network, the Titans' current group falls short overall. He said the inside linebacker group is the biggest question mark on the entire roster.
“The Titans arguably have the most unproven group of linebackers in the NFL,” Melo wrote. “The team leader in 2023 tackles, Azeez Al-Shaair, departed in free agency. He was replaced by former first-round bust Kenneth Murray, who is a reclamation project. More concerning, he's also Tennessee's No. 1 linebacker.”
Alongside Murray are players like Jack Gibbens, Cedric Gray, and Otis Reese IV. All of them are immensely unproven. Murray disappointed in his four seasons with the Chargers, and Gibbens owns very little experience.
And, according to titansized.com, fans may be too high on Gray, the team's fourth-round pick. After OTAs and minicamp, it appears unlikely Gray is ready to seize a major defensive role for the Titans.
Is former Colts LB Shaq Leonard the right man for Titans?
Leonard ended last season with the Eagles. Injuries have played a major part in his recent decline. After playing in 58 games through his first four seasons, Leonard appeared in only 17 during his two most recent seasons.
Still, Leonard said he's making an honest effort to find a free-agent match. Howevever, he acknowledged to the Indy Star it may not go that direction.
“I'm just sitting back, getting the body healthy, and whenever the opportunity presents itself, we'll give it a try,” Leonard said. “I just continue to be me by working hard. If it happens, it happens. If it don't, it don't. I've had a great career, even if I do step away from it. … I'm enjoying life and just waiting on that opportunity.”
The Titans probably need to move quickly to get Leonard as pickings are slim at this point of the NFL calendar.
Leonard joined the Colts in 2018, a second-round pick out of South Carolina State. He was defensive rookie of the year that season, and a first-team All-Pro selection. He followed up with second-team All-Pro honors in 2019 before reaching first-team status in 2020-21.
Making tackles has been his thing. He stormed the NFL with 163 stops as a rookie, and recorded over 120 in each of the next three years. Things ground to a halt in 2022 when he played only three games and made one start. He bounced back for 88 stops in 14 games, split between the Colts and the Eagles.
Still, this is the type of player the Titans need, a veteran presence who can teach the less-experienced guys how to get to the ballcarrier.
How aggressively should Tennessee approach Leonard?
Tennessee shouldn't pay prime dollars to bring Leonard to Nashville. There are two reasons for this. One, the injury history suggests less likelihood of Leonard being on the field every Sunday.
Second, his willingness to play for less would prove he's still motivated to be a top NFL linebacker — and not looking to cash out as a retirement stipend.
Follow Us
Subscribe
