(Philadelphia) The Philadelphia Eagles signed star linebacker Shaquille Leonard to a contract for the remainder of the season on Monday.
Leonard should be able to play for the Eagles (10-2), defending National Association champions, Sunday night against the Dallas Cowboys. He visited the Eagles and Cowboys after being released by the Indianapolis Colts last month.
He had publicly complained about the decline in his playing time this season with the Colts. He could make an immediate impact with the Eagles, who are trying to return to the Super Bowl.
Leonard, however, has been slowed by injuries, but he should still be able to help the Eagles defense, which has been battered over the past two weeks. The San Francisco 49ers notably scored a touchdown on six consecutive possessions against the Eagles, while the Buffalo Bills had more than 500 yards of gains in their victory against them in Week 12 of NFL activities.
The Colts selected Leonard 36th overall in the 2018 NHL Draft. He went on to lead the league with 163 tackles, a franchise record. Leonard also won the title of Most Outstanding Defensive Player according to the Associated Press in 2018.
