Colts LB E.J. Speed looks like he’ll most likely miss Sunday’s game against the Dolphins

The Colts appear likely to be without one of their starting linebackers on Sunday, who’s currently one of the NFL’s leading tacklers.

Indianapolis Colts starting linebacker E.J. Speed (knee) has been downgraded to ‘doubtful’ on Saturday’s team injury report—as the team prepares for the Miami Dolphins on Sunday:

The 6-year linebacker has 60 tackles (44 solo) and 3 tackles for loss during all 6 starts so far during the 2024 campaign. His 60 total tackles are tied for the 3rd most in the league.

Speed is playing in the final season of a 2-year, $8 million contract extension he signed back in the 2023 offseason and is set to become a free agent at 2024’s end.

With Speed presumably out for this Sunday, the Colts could turn to rookie linebacker Jaylon Carlies, who was a 2024 5th round pick of the club, for a much larger role—who has to-date been deployed more situationally in certain subpackages as the team’s third linebacker.

Carlies has 16 tackles (10 solo) and a pass defensed during 6 games (2 starts). Per PFF, Carlies is currently their 9th best linebacker with a +78.3 overall grade—including a +90.1 coverage grade (which the latter is the 2nd highest among all players at the position).

Colts fans could also see fellow backup linebacker Segun Olubi rotating in at times.