Indianapolis Colts linebacker Darius Leonard hasn’t been collaborating in organized crew exercise (OTA) classes this offseason because the crew takes a cautious strategy along with his ankle rehab.
Leonard underwent offseason surgical procedure on the ankle through the 2021 offseason, virtually a 12 months in the past, hoping it could appropriate the problem. However the harm lingered all through the common season, and the crew nonetheless can’t determine why it gained’t go away.
With OTAs properly underway, Leonard nonetheless isn’t suiting up, and head coach Frank Reich continued to push the notion that the Colts are being cautious with the highest-paid linebacker within the NFL.
“We’re making an attempt to be cautious so simply taking it day-by-day making an attempt to see what precisely we’re coping with, how can we get it to reply and make some progress,” Reich instructed the media Wednesday.
Leonard toughed it out through the 2021 season, working by means of intensive rehab simply to maintain the ankle robust sufficient to get by means of practices and video games. Even with the ailment, Leonard nonetheless captured his third All-Professional and Professional Bowl nods.
Reich didn’t categorical any concern—not that he ever does—about Leonard’s progress. However there’s an opportunity we don’t see a lot of the Maniac through the offseason exercise program.
But it surely looks as if the Colts merely don’t have a solution as to why Leonard’s ankle isn’t progressing.
“Typically once you’re going by means of one thing and also you hit a lull and you’ll’t recover from the hump that you simply need to get previous, you must cease and pause and say, ‘Why aren’t we getting over this hump?’ That’s a bit of bit what it’s with Darius (Leonard),” Reich mentioned. “We’re simply persevering with to be cautious with him and need to be good about getting him prepared. Within the meantime, he’s locked in doing all his stuff getting mentally – he’s ready. It’s as if he’s in there. So we’ll proceed to guage him as we go.”
There isn’t a overstating the influence Leonard has on the protection. He’s the center of the unit and has been since he stepped on the sector throughout his rookie season in 2018.
Hopefully, this isn’t a difficulty that can be lingering as a result of the Colts will need their star linebacker on the sector as quickly as potential to organize for the brand new protection.
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