Source: Dallas Cowboys ‘Recruiting’ Shaq Leonard Begins with Phone Call

Source: Dallas Cowboys ‘Recruiting’ of Shaq Leonard Begins with Phone Call; ‘We’ve Done No More Than That,’ Says a Coy Jerry Jones

FRISCO - The Dallas Cowboys have taken a first step to what one source close to the situation terms the “recruiting process” by making contact with “shocking” free agent Shaquille Leonard, cut this week by the Indianapolis Colts.

Leonard, 28, is a three-time All-Pro linebacker who was the NFL 2018 Defensive Rookie of the Year. His talents have obviously faded over time, in part due to injuries that have transformed the well-respected locker-room leader into a run-stopper.

But as expected because of his hefty contract (which pays him about $1 million weekly), he cleared waivers and can now sign with the most attractive bidder.

And yes, as CowboysSI.com first reported when he was cut on Tuesday, the Cowboys are interested - and a phone call to the player (or the player’s representation) has been placed.

"Contact has been made,” said Cowboys owner Jerry Jones following Dallas’ 45-10 win over Washington on Thanksgiving.

Jones wisely noted that other “teams in the hunt” (Philadelphia, Minnesota, Buffalo?) have surely also reached out.

Jones met with team officials on Thursday morning to collect thoughts on Leonard, who as the owner mentioned comes with “some questions we need to check on health-wise, things like that. … I want to go do our homework and do what we should be doing and see if this thing might fit us. We've done no more than that."

Well, except for letting Leonard know Dallas is interested … again, the first step of “recruiting.”

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Part of Jones’ commentary was clearly driven with consideration for the linebackers group that had just won the game, playing without IR’ed leader Leighton Vander Esch.

Damone Clark, Jones said, “played outstanding out there tonight. I sure like the way overall we're playing – our linebackers are playing.”

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Would the group be even better with one more proven and quality body?

"We’ll see how we do with our evaluation,” Jones said. “We'll look at him pretty good.”