Colts All-Pro LB Shaquille Leonard suffers injury setback, will be placed on IR

INDIANAPOLIS — Colts linebacker Shaquille Leonard suffered a setback in Wednesday’s practice that will send him to Injured Reserve, the Indianapolis Star confirmed. He will miss at least the next four games.

Leonard, who underwent surgery this past June to relieve the pressure two discs were putting on his nerves, has played in just three games this season, and he was coming off his best performance in last week’s loss to New England.

Leonard played 34 snaps, made five tackles and played with a ton of anticipation and aggression.

But something changed in the team’s first practice this week.

“He came off the field on Wednesday, just felt different,” interim coach Jeff Saturday said. “They’ve scanned him. They’re working with him, evaluating him … in the training room, trying to get him healthy.”

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The Colts also ruled out running back Deon Jackson (knee) and tight end Jelani Woods (shoulder), who both suffered injuries against New England.

Leonard has played 74 snaps in three games this season, making 11 tackles, one interception with one pass defended, and he’d been making progress, although it hasn’t been enough to get him back to full strength.

“Each week, I feel better,” Leonard said on Thursday. “Starting from my first day of practice: being stiff, really can’t move, and then my first game, being stiff, then the past two games, I see myself moving around better, but it’s still out there. The nerve still isn’t firing in my calf.”

Leonard’s performance against the Patriots on Sunday relied heavily on film study.

The linebacker had such a good handle on New England’s offense that Patriots coach Bill Belichick said this week that Leonard was calling out New England’s plays and getting a huge jump on the play at the snap.

Leonard has always played like that, but he said this week that he knows he has to make plays that way because his body isn’t back to full strength yet.

“I’ve got to put myself in position to make a play, because I know I’m a step behind,” Leonard said. “I’ve got to know that if I’m on the field, I’ve got to be able to at least affect the game.”

Leonard has been through a frustrating season.

Colts coaches and players have raved about Leonard’s ability to stay engaged, his ability to keep leading and bringing energy from the sideline, but Leonard knows he can make plays that no other linebacker in the NFL can make, and it has been hard to watch from the sideline.

Especially when he’s worked as hard as he has to get back in the lineup.

“It’s hard being in and out,” Leonard said. “For one, not being a starter, two, missing games, splitting reps, pitch count. There’s a lot of frustration. It’s a lot of things that I can’t control.”

Including the health of the nerve in his calf, and an injury that continues to linger.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Colts' Shaquille Leonard heading to IR after suffering injury setback