I know that the following examples are sound:
Someone might say: "I am very smart".
The following might be said: "I am very smart".
It might be said that I am very smart
knowing that the last one has a different meaning because "I" refers to the narrator rather than someone being quoted.
But does the following example look linguistically sound?
It might be said "I am very smart".
or with a colon
It might be said: "I am very smart".