Colts Add Speed to the Roster

Chris Ballard, the general manager of the Indianapolis Colts, is known for favoring speed in the secondary. On Friday, he discovered some on the waiver wire.

Prior to their Week 7 encounter with the Cleveland Browns, the Colts declared that they had selected cornerback Ameer Speed off the New England Patriots’ waiver wire. Amari Rodgers, a wide receiver, was waived by the Colts in a related roster transaction.

In the sixth round of the 2023 NFL Draft, Speed was selected by the Patriots at pick No. 214 overall. During his five games with New England, the rookie recorded three tackles, all of them solo.

Mostly on special teams, speed was used. Over the course of the five games, he lined up for 73 special teams snaps for New England. He took ten defensive snaps as well.

There’s no denying that Speed’s last name is ironic. He didn’t attend the NFL combine, but he made an impression on scouts when he ran a 4.34-second 40-yard sprint during his Michigan State pro day.

Speed, who weighs 209 pounds and is 6-foot-3, is also big. Despite being a rookie, Speed turned 24 this month. Speed played six years of college ball thanks to a standard redshirt and an additional year of eligibility because to COVID.

Georgia was the school where he played his first five seasons of college ball. In his seven games, he recorded thirteen total tackles for the Bulldogs in 2021—the team’s first championship season.

Speed made 12 appearances for the Spartans in the previous season. In all, he recorded 62 tackles, including 1 tackle for loss and 5 pass defenses.

The Colts cut Rodgers, who is in his third NFL season, to make place for Speed. After being waived by the Houston Texans in July, he inked a contract with the Colts in early August.

Although Rodgers was not on the field for the season’s first three games, he had participated in the previous three games. With the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 6, he played a season-high 20 offensive snaps and 18 special teams snaps.

Rodgers was given two targets, but he failed to catch either. On special teams, he did not touch the ball either.