E.J. Speed, Houston Texans
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E.J. Speed #45 of the Houston Texans runs onto the field before a game against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Amid multiple trades, contract restructures, and extensions–some of which are still in the “expected” stage–the Houston Texans have also made sure that they retained the services of players on their roster whom they were poised to lose, like E.J. Speed.
Speed, a former fifth-round draft pick of the Indianapolis Colts, is coming off his first season with the Texans.
It will not be his last.
E.J. Speed Reaches Agreement With Texans
Darrell Taylor, E.J. Speed, Houston Texans
GettyDarrell Taylor #52 and E.J. Speed #45 of the Houston Texans celebrate a tackle against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
“#Texans are signing [key linebacker] and special-teams contributor E.J. Speed to two-year, $13 million contract with $7.5 million guaranteed, per league sources,” KPRC 2’s Aaron Wilson reported on X on March 7. “Speed is represented by Will Felix III of Maven Sports.
“Sources: #Texans signing veteran linebacker E.J. Speed to new two-year, $13 million max deal with $7.5 million guaranteed, $4 million signing bonus.”
Speed had 62 total tackles and 1 pass deflection, starting nine of the 16 games he played in.
The Colts drafted Speed 164th overall in 2019. He spent the first six seasons of his career with the Colts, facing the Texans twice a year. He finished his tenure in Indianapolis with 354 total stops, 12 pass deflections, 6 forced fumbles, 2.0 sacks, and 1 interception.
Speed had back-to-back seasons with more than 100 combined stops for the Colts before signing with the Texans in free agency.
He gets a noticeable raise on his previous deal with the Texans.
Speed signed a one-year, $3.5 million contract with the Texans. This new deal, which counts as an extension, nearly doubles his annual salary. He has $15.4 million in career earnings. Spotrac projected Speed’s market value at a one-year, $4.7 million pact.
Texans LB Room on Watch
Azeez Al-Shaair, Houston Texans
GettyAzeez Al-Shaair #0 of the Houston Texans reacts against the Denver Broncos.
Speed’s new deal puts the spotlight on his fellow linebackers, with starters Azeez Al-Shaair and Henry To’oTo’o entering the final year of their respective contracts. Wilson, who noted the mutual interest between Speed and the Texans, updated Al-Shaair’s situation.
“Pro Bowl middle linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair and the Texans have mutual interest in a contract extension this offseason, per sources,” Wilson wrote on March 4. “Al-Shaair is due an $11 million base salary in the final year of his three-year, $34 million contract. He currently has a $15.235 million salary-cap figure.”
Al-Shaair was with Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans in San Francisco, where the latter was the former’s position coach and then defensive coordinator.
A two-time team captain, Al-Shaair just completed his second season in Houston.
Wilson did not provide an update on To’oTo’o’s situation. To’oTo’o has started 35 of the 46 games he has played in since entering the league with the Texans as the 167th overall pick of the 2023 draft class.
Draft Could Be Answer for Texans
DeMeco Ryans, Houston Texans
GettyHouston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans looks on against the Denver Broncos.
The Texans have LBs Jake Hansen and Jamal Hill under contract for 2026. However, Hansen is primarily a special teamer, while Hill–a sixth-round pick in 2024–has played in 20 games over his two seasons.
The Texans are top-heavy at LB, with Al-Shaair, Speed, and To’o’To’o.
That could make the position an under-the-radar target during the mid-to-later rounds of the 2026 draft. The first round of the draft is on April 23. Free agency opens on March 11.