Indianapolis Colts linebacker EJ Speed popped up on the injury report on Wednesday with a knee injury that kept him out of practice all three days this week. Speed did play 61 of the 63 defensive snaps this past Sunday in Denver.
EJ Speed injury update
Speed had been on the injury report earlier in the season with a knee injury and in Week 7 against Miami, it did keep him out of that game.
After not participating in any of the team practices this week, head coach Shane Steichen ruled Speed out of this Sunday’s matchup with Tennessee.
Colts LB depth chart
The Colts will be without Speed but they are getting back Jaylon Carlies, who was activated off injured reserve on Saturday.
When Speed was out in that aforementioned Week 7 game with the Dolphins, it was Carlies who filled his role as the nickel linebacker next to Zaire Franklin and then as the WILL linebacker when the Colts lined up in their base defense. The third linebacker in those situations was Grant Stuard.
Carlies played safety during his time at Missouri and does bring an added coverage ability to the linebacker position.
With that said, this will be Carlies’ first game back since Week 7–a game he exited early–so if the Colts do want to ease him back in and monitor his playing time, they’ll have to go a different direction, which could include having Stuard be the primary second linebacker.