2. Shaquille Leonard is back on the field
On Tuesday, the Colts announced that Shaquille Leonard passed his physical and would start camp on the field. However, the team plans to work him through a progression before he’s full go. The first step of the progression must’ve been getting Leonard a lot of reps on day one of training camp.
Shaquille Leonard, back practicing pic.twitter.com/rQWtFXSWa2
— Joel A. Erickson (@JoelAErickson) July 26, 2023
Fans were thrilled to see the team’s leader back in a jersey and on the field running around. He went through individual drills, and also took a ton of reps with the first-team defense. However, the team isn’t currently wearing pads, so that could’ve factored into how active he was on Wednesday.
This is well ahead of where Leonard was at this time last season. He started the year on the PUP list in 2022 and was there for about a month, missing all of camp. This season, Leonard avoided the PUP list, and according to him, is feeling way better than he did a year ago.
Colts LB Shaquille Leonard participating in all periods of today’s first practice (including full team) might be the best news the Colts have gotten in a LONG time. I cannot overstate this. pic.twitter.com/U3xlCURMKz
— Stephen Holder (@HolderStephen) July 26, 2023
Following practice, the linebacker told the media that he had game-day jitters for this practice. Leonard said that he struggled to sleep the night before and he was just excited to get back to doing what he loves, as he plays his self back into form.
The Colts will certainly be wise with how they progress Leonard, but with about six weeks until the start of the regular season, it’s looking like the Maniac should be ready for the season.