The Indianapolis Colts are not expected to re-sign pending free agent linebacker Bobby Okereke this offseason, according to multiple reports.
Okereke, who has been the starting MIKE linebacker for the last two seasons, put up a career year during his first campaign with Gus Bradley as the defensive coordinator.
However, it appears Okereke is set to sign elsewhere in free agency as the legal tampering period opened Monday afternoon.
The news was first reported by Destin Adams of Horseshoe Huddle and confirmed by Joel A. Erickson of The Indianapolis Star.
The #Colts expect LB Bobby Okereke to sign elsewhere as early as today when the #NFL legal tampering period begins at noon.
— Destin Adams (@TheDestinAdams) March 13, 2023
Not that this comes as a huge surprise, but my understanding, per a source, is Bobby Okereke's likely headed elsewhere in free agency.
— Joel A. Erickson (@JoelAErickson) March 13, 2023
Okereke was a force for the Colts during the 2022 season, one that saw Shaquille Leonard miss the majority of it due to a nagging ankle injury that required multiple surgeries.
As much as the Colts would like to bring the former third-round pick back into the fold, his market is expected to be pretty strong compared to what they would be willing to pay. That, coupled with the money they have already invested into the position, makes it hard to re-sign the young linebacker.
With Okereke expected to sign elsewhere, the Colts may turn their attention to re-signing E.J. Speed, who also is a pending free agent. Speed is a core special teams player and recorded career-high numbers on the defensive side of the ball, working as a depth replacement with Leonard out.
Be sure to follow the latest updates regarding all things Colts in free agency via our tracker.
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