Colts Sign FXFL DE Earl Okine
By Evan Reller
The Indianapolis Colts made a move to sign a player this afternoon, but it wasn’t someone we expected them to pick up. They signed Fall Experimental Football League defensive end Earl Okine.
Okine measures at 6-5 and weighs 284-pounds. He played his collegiate career at the University of Florida and was teammates with Colts center Jonotthan Harrison.
Okine appeared in 42 games for the Gators and posted 27 tackles and 2.5 sacks.
Okine has played in the FXFL, Arena Football League, and Canadian Football League as well. He was with the Orlando Predators last season and had 5.5 sacks in 16 games.
He was briefly with the Texans in 2013, but was just there for the offseason and training camp.
Its really not surprising that Okine hasn’t stuck with a team. He hasn’t had the production and also doesn’t have the athleticism to play defensive end. He ran a 5.14 and 5.23 forty yard dash at his Pro Day back in 2013.
The Colts can have 90 players on their offseason roster and this signing brings that total up to 79. They have 12 players who are set to become free agents next week as well.
The news wasn’t exactly met with applause online:
The what!?! RT @NatJNewell: #Colts sign Earl Okine from the FXFL.
— IndyStarSports (@IndyStarSports) March 3, 2015
Free agency? MT @JasonSpells: #Colts sign DE Earl Okine. From the Brooklyn Bolts of the Fall Experimental Football League (FXFL).
— Stephen Holder (@HolderStephen) March 3, 2015
I have to admit, I had to Google "Fall Experimental Football League"
— Mike Wells (@MikeWellsNFL) March 3, 2015
@MikeWellsNFL In other words, this is not a FA signing that really addresses anything other than filling a roster spot.
— Mike Chappell (@mchappell51) March 3, 2015
So the #Colts signed a guy who worked his way down from the NFL to the CFL to the AFL to the FXFL (that's real). Must've seen something.
— Marcus Dugan (@MarcusDugan) March 3, 2015
And as the news broke, one writer brought up Ndamukong Suh.
Anybody think the Colts will be among the most aggressive Suh suitors, with designs on a J.J. Watt role?
— Chris Wesseling (@ChrisWesseling) March 3, 2015