Welcome to H-Town, E.J. Speed! Play nice with C.J. Stroud
Add a new linebacker to the Houston Texans’ defense for 2025.
According to reports, the Texans and former Indianapolis Colts E.J. Speed have agreed to terms on a one-year deal worth $5 million. He’ll have a chance to continue to prosper as a breakout season for Houston’s top foe.
Speed put together his best season in his second year as a full-time starter. The 29-year-old finished with 142 tackles, seven tackles for losses and five pass deflections. His 93 solo stops were tied for third-most among all defensive players.
A 2019 fifth-round pick of the Colts Speed started his career as a special teams star, but eventually took over for Shaquille Leonard in 2023. In 2024, he started all 15 games and was on the field for 98 percent of the Colts’ defensive snaps in those games.
Speed could be a starter, but he’ll definitely contribute on special teams while providing depth at linebacker for the Texans. Third-year linebacker Christian Harris was limited to three regular-season games in 2024 due to a calf injury while Azeez Al-Shaair logged just 11 regular-season appearances due to injury and suspension. Harris, a former third-round pick out of Alabama, also is entering a contract year and could hit free agency next offseason.
This also should serve a need ahead of the draft, thus allowing Houston to focus on other offensive needs next month. Speed is the seventh newcomer to join the Texans’ defense, joining defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins, defensive end Darrell Taylor, defensive end Casey Toolhill, linebacker Nick Niemann, cornerback Ronald Darby, and safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson.