E.J. Speed has agreed to a one-year deal with the Texans. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports that it's worth $3.25 million, with incentives that could push it to $5 million. Speed spent the past six seasons with the Colts, mostly as a reserve. He started 11 games in 2023, though, and held a full-time role throughout last season. He'll turn 30 in June.
Speed finished 15th among LBs in total fantasy points last year and ninth in points per game (depending on your format). But this smallish deal says the league -- Colts included -- wasn't impressed.
Houston returns Azeez Al-Shaair and Henry To'oTo'o as the top two LBs from last year and should get a healthier version of LB Christian Harris. The young LB missed most of camp with a calf strain that continued to dog him throughout the regular season.
Harris looks like the top candidate to join Al-Shaair atop the depth chart if healthy this season, though. And To'oTo'o likely earned a prominent role for his third season.
That positions Speed as likely the No. 4 in 2025 -- assuming the Texans don't draft an LB who could push him further down.
It's damning that Indy let Speed walk for such limited money.
The Colts' existing depth chart positions Jaylon Carlies as the likeliest replacement. He officially started six games as a 2024 rookie but reached 50% playing time only once.
The converted college DB looks like a question mark from here, and the Colts a prime candidate to target LB in the draft.
The free agent market also still holds veteran options such as:
It's tough to just quit on a guy who delivered LB1-level scoring last year, but that's what the market's treatment of Speed suggests we should do.
Of course, whether you dump now or wait out potential summer injuries depends on the size of your roster and available options.
Carlies looks stashable in dynasty while we wait to see whether the Colts do anything else. He carries extra value on sites that give him DB eligibility.
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