Superb Shaquille Leonard venting his annoyance about his Indianapolis Colts role

The Carolina Panthers, the Indianapolis Colts’ opponent in Week 9, are preparing for their matchup.

But some of the Colts’ best players have had their fair share of internal issues this season, and there’s more controversy. Shaquille Leonard, a linebacker, was a mystery going into the season.

Following his two back surgeries last year, Leonard’s health was the subject of all the inquiries. The Colts intentionally gave him a slow start to the season because they didn’t want him to push himself too much and sustain another injury. The “training wheels” have been taken off during the past few weeks, allowing him to play with greater freedom. Regretfully, he no longer plays at his usual caliber.

• Shaquille Leonard’s stats: 46 tackles, 25 solo, 2 TFL

That is a long cry from his average stats during his first four years of play as an All-Pro and three-time Pro Bowler. This season, he is fourth among the Colts in both tackles and solo tackles. Julian Blackmon, a safety, Kenny Moore, and fellow linebacker Zaire Franklin are the only guys ahead of him.

• Shaquille Leonard’s avg. stats in a season: 85.8 tackles, 48.8 solo, 4.3 FF, 1.8 FR, 2.8 INT, 3.8 SCK, 7.5 PD, 7.5 TFL

He is now expressing his annoyance to the media. He stated to CBS 4 Indianapolis’ David Griffiths on Thursday that he believes his play is becoming increasingly better. However, he is being told by the coaches that he isn’t producing enough big plays. It was those big plays that elevated him to the Hall of Fame and gained him a great deal of recognition in the league.

Additionally, the Colts defense, which is ranked 30th overall and 15th in turnovers, could use more of it. However, Leonard and E.J. Speed are currently dividing reps. In terms of tackles and individual tackles, Speed trails Leonard exactly on the team. On the other hand, Speed leads the club in tackles for loss.

Tackles for loss are impact plays even though they might not be seen as splash plays. Furthermore, Leonard isn’t even producing the same impact plays as before. The good news is that he is in contact with this Colts coaching staff.

“I kind of know a little bit. They’ll tell me if I’m going to split reps with E.J. on first and second [down]. I know I’m not in on third down. Kind of know exactly what it is. Like it or not, it is what it is.”

This correspondence between defensive coordinator Gus Bradley and Shane Steichen may contain fresh information or lessons from the Jonathan Taylor contract issue. But that’s not factual; it’s simply a conjecture. Even though the players aren’t entirely content with their position on the squad, it is still a positive that the coaching staff is communicating with them clearly.

The reduction in Leonard’s performance could also be caused by two additional factors: a shift in the defensive scheme’s philosophy and health. He only missed seven games in his first four years. He has missed fifteen games in his last two seasons, which has given former Colts linebacker Bobby Okereke the opportunity to step up and excel.

“Next man up” is a popular saying in the NFL. Okereke and Franklin both seized the chance to excel. Leonard has suffered because of this. Another aspect is that Leonard was the starting linebacker under Matt Eberflus. He was the player who participated in all three downs and created opportunities for turnovers. Bradley has been forced to play other players due to his lack of availability, and those guys have not yet lost any snaps.

Sadly, Leonard might have seen a reduction in playing time. He has, however, been informed precisely what he must do in order to receive more photos. He needs to resume his big-play productions.