Texans sign linebacker E.J. Speed

Free agent linebacker E.J. Speed is heading to Houston.

The Texans and Speed have agreed to a one-year contract.

Speed was a 2019 fifth-round pick of the Colts and has played his entire NFL career in Indianapolis. For most of his career he played more on special teams than on defense, but two years ago he became a defensive starter, and last year he started all 15 games he was healthy enough to play and was on the field for 98 percent of the Colts' defensive snaps in those games.

The emergence of Speed as a defensive starter was a big part of the reason that former Colts linebacker Shaquille Leonard quickly went from All-Pro to backup to released in 2023.

Speed is No. 86 on our list of the NFL's Top 100 free agents.