INDIANAPOLIS -- The Indianapolis Colts added their fourth linebacker since the start of free agency when they agreed to a deal with Sean Spence. He is the third former Tennessee Titans player whom Colts general manager Chris Ballard has agreed to bring aboard.
Spence, who has 144 tackles and five sacks in his career, joins defensive lineman Al Woods and offensive lineman Brian Schwenke as former Titans now with the Colts.
Terms: one year, $3 million
Grade: C Spence had 54 tackles and three sacks -- both career highs -- last season with the Titans after spending the first four years of his NFL career with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He will be in the mix for one of the inside linebacker starting positions after playing in about half of Tennessee's defensive snaps last season.
What it means: Not that there needed to be any further proof, but the addition of Spence just shows how much Ballard wants to try to upgrade the linebacker position. Spence, Jabaal Sheard, John Simon and Barkevious Mingo are replacing Erik Walden, Trent Cole, Josh McNary, D'Qwell Jackson and Robert Mathis at linebacker for the Colts. The linebackers were one of the weakest -- if not the weakest -- positions on the Colts' roster last season. Spence, Simon and Sheard are in line to start at three of the four linebacker spots.
What's the risk? This is another low-risk move by Ballard. Spence is signing only a one-year deal while Ballard continues to look for the right pieces to fix a defense that finished 30th in the NFL last season. Spence, who was selected in the third round of the 2012 draft by Pittsburgh, missed his first two seasons because of knee injuries.
