Indianapolis Colts followers could also be a bit curious as to why star linebacker Shaquille Leonard has been dominated out for Week 3 regardless of working towards in full for the second consecutive week.
Leonard has been working his approach again from offseason again surgical procedure, which corrected an impinged nerve that precipitated points along with his calf and ankle over the higher a part of the final calendar 12 months. The surgical procedure has left Leonard pain-free for the primary time in a very long time, however he’s nonetheless not on the level the place he can contribute on the sphere.
Build up that energy and conditioning is the ultimate hurdle for Leonard to recover from to ensure that him to make it again onto the sphere. Head coach Frank Reich went into element Friday when talking with reporters.
“Actually good week for Shaq (Shaquille Leonard). There’s been incremental enchancment each week. I’d say this week was incremental-plus, simply to attempt to provide you with guys some sense of the place he’s at,” Reich mentioned. “He stays in nice angle, nice spirits, an ideal teammate.”
From the skin, it’s at all times simpler to make assumptions about accidents. Whereas it definitely is a bit complicated how Leonard may follow absolutely and nonetheless be dominated out, solely he is aware of how his physique feels.
It will be unfair to say Leonard is the kind of participant who doesn’t wish to be on the sphere. His complete profession has confirmed that he’s the precise reverse sort of participant. He’s a maniac on the sphere and a pacesetter within the locker room. Few gamers have the form of drive Leonard has.
In fact, it’s irritating for followers. They wish to see their star linebacker making performs and serving to a staff win—a staff that has gotten off to a horrendous begin. For these questioning about placing Leonard on the PUP to begin the season, he wouldn’t be capable to follow in any respect through the first 4 weeks. The timetable can be pushed again even additional.
However Leonard and the staff are ensuring he’s 100% when he returns to the sphere. Whereas I’d argue that getting Leonard on the sphere for 40% of the performs could be price it, it’s straightforward to grasp the Colts not taking any possibilities.
“What’s left is he’s acquired to know he can go on the market and play successful soccer. That’s the underside line. He’s acquired to know he can go on the market and play successful soccer and really feel assured in that,” Reich mentioned. “That’s largely coming from him. That’s a dialog with everyone, however deep down it’s the participant. Deep down the participant has to know he can go on the market and play successful soccer and assist this staff win.”
So whereas the choice appears to be largely as much as Leonard, it additionally appears to be a bit deeper than that. The Colts have been evaluating the tape in follow to the tape he’s placed on the sphere in video games over the previous few seasons.
Reich famous that collaborative decision-making, which incorporates Leonard, nonetheless believes there’s rather a lot left on the sphere. The tape isn’t matching as much as the place they want it to be.
“Solely he actually is aware of the way it feels. We watch tape and we will see – whenever you take a look at tape from final 12 months, the 12 months earlier than versus tape now and also you watch him transfer, we’re doing that,” Reich mentioned. “So from our standpoint, it’s we want the tape to look near what it appeared like whenever you had been comparatively wholesome, that’s one aspect of it. Then the aspect from Shaq (Shaquille Leonard) is, he must really feel it. That’s the place it’s collaborative.”
The Colts definitely want their star linebacker to return rapidly. When that might be stays to be seen, however Reich is assured Leonard is doing all he can to get his physique into form.
“This harm is a BEAR so he’s combating and scratching each second, each approach he can to get again on the sphere. I promise you that. He’s doing every thing plus he can do to get again on the market on that discipline. It’s killing him.”
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