Indianapolis Colts Sign Shaq Leonard Replacement

When the Indianapolis Colts announced on Tuesday afternoon that they had waived star linebacker Shaquille Leonard, it shocked the NFL.

They filled the vacancy left by Leonard’s departure rather quickly. Later on in the afternoon, they declared that they had added practice squad linebacker Ronnie Harrison Jr. to the 53-man active roster.

It’s an intriguing move because of his linebacker designation rather than the fact that he was signed. He has been a safety in his career up to this point.

Harrison Jr. has a wealth of NFL experience. The Jacksonville Jaguars selected the sixth-year player in the third round out of Alabama in 2018. With the Jaguars, he started 22 games in 2018 and 2019.

Before joining the Cleveland Browns in 2020, he had 103 tackles, three sacks, and three interceptions in Jacksonville.

Despite never being able to match his success from 2019 in Cleveland, he still finished 2021 with 58 tackles, a sack, and an interception.

Harrison Jr., who stands 6’2 and weighs 207 pounds, undoubtedly possesses the physical strength to contribute near the line of scrimmage. Harrison Jr. has played 818 snaps in the box compared to 796 at free safety, almost exactly half of his defensive alignments, according to Pro Football Focus (PFF).

He’s not a perfect match for Leonard, but he’s an experienced, adaptable defender who is already familiar with the Colts’ scheme. As the Colts attempt an unlikely playoff run, he may get several opportunities to play on Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.