Patriots Linked As Trade Suitor for Colts LB

The New England Patriots have been linked as a possible trade suitor for an Indianapolis Colts linebacker.

Dec 31, 2023; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Davante Adams (17) catches a touchdown while Indianapolis Colts linebacker E.J. Speed (45) and cornerback Jaylon Jones (40) defend in the second half at Lucas Oil Stadium. / Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

The New England Patriots recently suffered a major injury blow, losing star linebacker Ja'Whaun Bentley for the season. That loss has left a major hole in the Patriots' defense.

Due to losing Bentley for the season, New England is viewed as a team that could consider pursuing a trade for a linebacker before the deadline.

ESPN has revealed an intriguing name to keep an eye on as a possible trade target. Dan Graziano suggested that the Patriots could be a potential trade suitor for Indianapolis Colts' linebacker E.J. Speed.

"They just put Ja'Whaun Bentley on injured reserve (torn pec), so this makes sense. The Bills and Raiders are other possibilities."

Speed would certainly be a good fit for New England. He has shown big-time talent with the Colts and would immediately slot in as a starter and a key piece for the team's defense.

During the 2024 NFL season thus far in two games, Speed has racked up 22 total tackles. He hasn't recorded any other stats worth mentioning at this point in time.

Back in 2023, Speed put together the best year of his career. He totaled 102 tackles to go along with a sack, three forced fumbles, and four defended passes.

Those numbers show the kind of impact that Speed can make. At 29 years old, he would also be a piece that the Patriots could keep around past the 2024 campaign.

That being said, Speed is set to hit the open free agency market after the 2024 season. New England could look to lock him up to an extension if they trade for him. Or, if things don't go as expected, they could move on.

Granted, this is all speculation and a simple suggestion of a potential trade target. Speed would make sense for the Patriots, but for now it's just an idea that would make a lot of sense to pursue.

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