Colts LB says the NY Giants got a ‘soldier’ in Bobby Okereke
People all over New York are still fired up over the NY Giants signing star linebacker Bobby Okereke to a four-year, $40 million deal early on in free agency. Okereke is a tackle machine and he’s exactly the kind of playmaker that head coach Brian Daboll and defensive coordinator Wink Martindale have been looking for.
As pumped up as people in East Rutherford are for the move, there’s a lot of sad folks over in Indianapolis. Just ask Colts linebacker E.J. Speed about that. The fellow ‘backer will be back with Indy next season, but he didn’t hold back in discussing how big of a loss it is to know that Okereke won’t be making plays next to him in ’23.
Colts LB E.J. Speed sang Bobby Okereke’s praises after he signed with the Giants
"“Bobby is a real pro. He brings a certain knack to the room of like a certain swagger and he’s a student,” Speed said via Colts Wire. “So, with Bobby leaving he will dearly be missed,” Speed said. “That’s my brother. I talk to him dang near every day. We have scheduled FaceTime calls that he better not miss and I better not miss. So yeah, I’m going to miss him. We lost a real soldier in Bobby and New York got a soldier. So, I’m proud of him and I’m happy.”"
That quote from Speed just goes to show you not only how great of a talent Okereke is, but how awesome of a teammate he is as well. Several people have voiced how much of a locker room presence Okereke is and now he’ll look to do more of the same for the Giants moving forward now that he’s going to be donning a Big Blue jersey.
Last season for the Colts, Okereke posted 151 total tackles and five pass deflections. He’s a sure tackler and has fantastic read and react ability, which is something the Giants have been missing at linebacker for a while now.
Okereke brings a completely different level of play to the LBs room, which must bring a smile to Martindale’s face. The new Giants ‘backer will be looked at to be the leader for this group, as he’s easily the most skilled player the G-Men have on their roster. If you ask Speed, there’s no doubt in his mind that his former teammate will be able to make a big splash in the NFC starting in Week 1.
