Veteran safety Rodney McLeod, a fixture on the Eagles’ defense for the last six years, plans to sign with the Colts, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
McLeod was with Colts head coach Frank Reich with the Eagles in 2016 and 2017.
McLeod’s Eagles fate seemed pretty much sealed when the Eagles re-signed Anthony Harris on March 18. With the goal of getting younger and faster in the secondary, it did not seem likely the Eagles would bring back both of their veteran safeties.
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McLeod, who turns 32 in June, joined the Eagles in 2016 and for four years teamed up with Malcolm Jenkins to form a smart, physical, tough safety tandem. When Jenkins left for New Orleans after the 2019 season, McLeod assumed his role as the veteran leader of the secondary.
Without McLeod, the Eagles may not have won Super Bowl LII in Minneapolis. On a day where the defense allowed 505 yards and 33 points, he made two touchdown-saving open-field tackles on Rob Gronkowski on drives where the Patriots had to settle for field goals.
McLeod overcame torn ACLs early in 2018 and late in 2020. He missed the start of last season and struggled for a few weeks after he returned but by the last half of the season was back almost to his old self, which led to speculation that the Eagles might bring him back for one more year.
At 31, McLeod was the 5th-oldest regular starting safety in the NFL last year. The Colts’ safeties most of last year were Andrew Sendejo, McLeod’s former Eagles teammate, and Khari Willis. Sendejo is currently a free agent, and George Odom, who started seven games, signed with the 49ers.
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As for the Eagles, the only safeties the Eagles currently have under contract are Harris, Marcus Epps, K’Von Wallace and Jared Mayden. They have been linked to free agent Tyrann Mathieu in recent days.
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McLeod started 75 games during his six seasons with the Eagles. He had 11 interceptions, including a diving pick off Taylor Heinicke of Washington in the final seconds of his final regular-season game in an Eagles uniform that clinched a playoff berth for the Eagles.
He spent his first four seasons with the Rams as an undrafted free agent out of Virginia.
McLeod’s 11 interceptions are the most by any Eagle over the last six seasons. Nobody else had more than six (Jenkins and Ronald Darby). Among current Eagles, Darius Slay (4), Epps (3), Avonte Maddox (3), T.J. Edwards (2) and Harris (1) are the only players who have interceptions in an Eagles uniform.
With McLeod gone, the only players on the roster who were on the 2017 Super Bowl team are Brandon Graham, Jason Kelce, Fletcher Cox, Lane Johnson, Isaac Seumalo, Rick Lovato, Derek Barnett and Jake Elliott.