Fresh off dropping a bombshell front office maneuver on Tuesday with the shocking release of linebacker Shaquille Leonard, the Indianapolis Colts followed that up with a move to shore up their linebacker room — albeit a less notable one — by signing Ronnie Harrison Jr. to their 53-man roster, the team announced via X (formerly Twitter).

Harrison was listed as a safety during his past stints with the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Cleveland Browns but is now operating as a linebacker for the Colts, who are just 26th in the 2023 NFL season so far in terms of scoring defense with 24.8 points allowed per game. Indianapolis is also only 25th overall with 358.5 total yards surrendered per contest.

Colts continue without Shaquille Leonard

Colts linebacker Shaq Leonard with steam blowing out of his ears

The Colts' decision to let go of Shaquille Leonard came as a big surprise to most people, as he was once viewed as one of the best linebackers in the league.

However, his playing time dwindled this season with the Colts, something that he openly complained about. Leonard's diminished role on the Colts' defense can also be partly attributed to the surgeries he went through in 2022. In nine games played with the Colts in the 2023 NFL season, Leonard recorded 65 combined tackles, two tackles for losses, and zero sacks.

As for Harrison, he will look to make an impact on the Colts' defense a year after he played 16 games (five starts) with the Browns. Harrison broke into the league with the Jaguars, who selected him in the third round (93rd overall) of the 2018 NFL Draft. In 67 games played so far in the pros, Harrison has 5.5 sacks and 148 solo tackles.