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The Minnesota Vikings have increased playing time for rookie Dallas Turner and injured reserve linebacker Kamu Grugier-Hill in recent weeks to compensate for the loss of starting linebacker Ivan Pace Jr., who is recovering from a hamstring injury.

To further strengthen the depth chart, the Vikings added former first-round pick Jamin Davis to the roster on November 26th with a minimum deal.

Bleacher Report’s Matt Holder recently made the prediction that General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah would continue to refine his roster as the season nears its end.

According to Holder’s Week 14 NFC scouting reports, the Vikings and Adofo-Mensah should get a feel for free agency linebacker Shaquille Leonard, a former three-time All-Pro and current $98.5 million man. In his assessment of the possible action, Holder stated:

It couldn’t hurt to add Leonard as a backup option, even though the Vikings just added Jamin Davis to assist with Ivan Pace Jr.’s return from injured reserve. Despite Davis’s superior record, the 29-year-old was a rock against the run in 2017 while playing on two different teams, recording 88 tackles in 14 games.

After signing one of the largest contracts in NFL history with the Indianapolis Colts in 2022, Leonard split his time that year between the two teams, appearing in nine games for the Colts and five for the Eagles. Last season, he played in three games for the Philadelphia Eagles despite missing time with injuries. He recorded 23 tackles and a sack.

It raises some eyebrows that the Phillies chose Leonard above free agent Devin White, who they then cut before he had appeared in a single regular season game. He has been thinking about his future in the NFL, and if he can find a way to settle in Minnesota and make it to the Super Bowl, it may save his once-legendary professional career.

Would the Vikings’ chances of making the Super Bowl if they signed Shaquille Leonard improve?
That year, 2024, will not work. If Leonard had played for another team this year, it would be different. He skipped the NFL altogether to spend the fall coaching a Georgia high school football team.

Leonard had to put his career on hold due to injuries. After suffering a severe back injury that necessitated many operations, he was unable to regain his previous level of performance, which led the Colts to waive him.

Considering the Vikings still have five games left in the regular season, putting Leonard through his paces seems more like a desperate than a wise approach.