Colts Release CB Kenny Moore
Coming up in trade rumors before the draft, Kenny Moore had asked to be moved. Following draft weekend, the veteran Colts slot cornerback asked the team for a release. The Colts have granted it, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
A former Pro Bowler, Moore has been in place in Indianapolis since Chris Ballard‘s first offseason as GM (2017). As pricey Colts DB contracts have emerged over the past 1 1/2 years, Moore’s $10MM-per-year deal will be coming off the books. The Colts have since announced the separation. This came after Moore was absent for the start of voluntary workouts last month.
Ballard had stuck by his core for many years, with Moore being a central component in the GM’s nucleus. Moore joined defensive tackle Grover Stewart, tight end Mo Alie-Cox and long snapper Luke Rhodes as the only Colts left from Ballard’s first offseason in charge (Rhodes arrived under Ryan Grigson in 2016). Now, the veteran cornerback follows longtime Colts Braden Smith, Zaire Franklin and Michael Pittman Jr. out the door this offseason.
We covered in this space last fall how the Colts had been tied to their core longer than any other team, and Ballard’s enduring presence certainly has plenty to do with that. Moore was in place since the Andrew Luck era, having been a waiver claim (from the Patriots) in 2017. Moore, 30, quickly became a dependable slot presence. As the Colts struggled to identify long-term boundary options at the position, they could count on their slot ace. Moore signed an Indianapolis extension in 2019 and then re-signed with the team as a free agent in 2024.
The Colts and Moore mutually agreed to part ways in early April, with a trade being Indy’s preferred exit strategy here. Moore was due a $9.49MM base salary in 2026, the final year of his three-year, $30MM contract. None of the money was guaranteed, but that number undoubtedly affected a trade aim. It is unclear if the Colts passed on a potential low-level deal — along the lines of what the Bills landed for slot staple Taron Johnson in March — to accommodate a cornerstone veteran, but the team is moving on without compensation. The Colts will add $7.1MM in cap space, though three void years being in place on this deal will produce a dead cap hit of $6.1MM.
Upon arrival in Indiana nine years ago, Moore quickly became one of best slot corners in the game. Indianapolis shuffled through pieces on the perimeter but rewarded Moore twice with market-setting deals. The team signed the former UDFA to a four-year, $33.3MM extension in his third offseason and gave him the 3/30 pact ahead of his age-29 campaign.
The Colts re-signed several key players in 2024, including Pittman and Stewart, in an attempt to build around Anthony Richardson‘s rookie contract. That plan did not work out, and Indy is back in the high-priced QB game after giving Daniel Jones a two-year, $88MM extension. The team offloaded Pittman’s contract — in a late-round pick-swap agreement with Pittsburgh — to afford the Jones transition tag and Alec Pierce‘s second contract (the team had traded Franklin to the Packers days before). Moore will follow Smith, an eight-year right tackle starter, in departing; Smith joined the Texans in free agency.
Indy’s secondary blueprint changed considerably in 2025, when Ballard indicated a willingness to deviate from a roster-building tenet by handing out some free agency dollars for outside help. Safety Camryn Bynum and cornerback Charvarius Ward joined the team last March, and as the Colts were chasing their first playoff berth since 2020 at the trade deadline, the team sent the Jets two first-round picks and wide receiver Adonai Mitchell for Sauce Gardner.
The team now has Gardner’s $30.1MM-per-year extension on the books to go with Bynum and Ward’s pacts — both north of $15MM AAV. This moved the Colts to stand down on re-signing Nick Cross, and they will now part with Moore while moving forward with the pricey Gardner-Ward-Bynum trio.
Moore has 21 career interceptions, notching four-INT seasons in 2020 and ’21. The latter season brought the 5-foot-9 cover man’s only Pro Bowl invite. Moore returned two of his three 2023 picks for TDs in 2023 and graded as a top-20 corner (in the view of Pro Football Focus) three times. PFF ranked Moore 37th among 112 qualified corners last season, when he allowed a career-best 62% completion rate as the closest defender. As Lou Anarumo took over as DC, though, the Colts reduced Moore’s playing time. He went from playing at least 92% of Indy’s defensive plays from 2018-24 to a 76% snap share in 2025.
Although Moore is entering an age-31 season, he stands to generate interest in free agency. He is unlikely to command a $10MM-per-year salary, but contenders eyeing slot help will surely look into the proven option now that he’s on the market.
Kenny Moore, Anthony Richardson Absent From Colts’ Offseason Workouts
Neither Kenny Moore nor Anthony Richardson were present at the beginning of the Colts’ offseason program, according to FOX59’s Mike Chappell. Both players are on the trade block, but there has been little movement on a potential move out of Indianapolis.
“We’ll see how it works out,” general manager Chris Ballard said on Monday, adding that the two players’ situations were “different in my mind.”
Richardson was granted permission to seek a trade in February and remains somewhat of an unknown quantity entering his fourth NFL season. He is owed about $5.4MM in 2026, and a decision on his fifth-year option – projected by OverTheCap to be $22.5MM – must be made by May 1. Ballard said the Colts have not discussed Richardson’s option, but presumably, they do not plan to pick it up. And if another club comes calling, they may not be ready to commit that kind of future money to a player with just 15 career starts before he steps in their building.
That lack of playing time is partially due to injuries. Richardson missed most of his rookie season due to an AC shoulder sprain that required surgery, and he only appeared in two games last year due to a fractured orbital bone that severely impacted his vision. That remains “an important aspect” in trade talks, Ballard said (via The Athletic’s James Boyd), adding that Richardson is cleared for activity, but “still recovering a little bit.”
“We’ve had some talks, but nothing’s come to fruition at this time,” Ballard continued. Several teams have been mentioned as potential fits for Richardson, and the Packers have expressed interest, per Chappell.
Moore, meanwhile, has been one of the league’s most consistent, reliable slot corners for the better part of the last decade. He informed the Colts that he was looking for a change of scenery, and the front office agreed to seek a trade.
He is set to earn $10MM in 2026, a decent price for a starting-caliber nickel with nine years of experience, but other teams may try to wait the Colts out. Ballard indicated that Moore could be released outright if he does not generate any trade interested. Rather than pay Moore $10MM and give up draft capital, teams can wait for him to hit free agency and potentially sign him at a lower price.
Colts To Seek CB Kenny Moore Trade
Kenny Moore‘s tenure with the Colts is likely nearing an end. The veteran cornerback is under contract for 2026, but a change of scenery could soon be coming.
Moore and the Colts have mutually agreed to seek out a trade, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. A parting of ways is viewed as beneficial in this case, so it will be interesting to see if a market develops leading up to the draft. Moore has spent his entire nine-year career with Indianapolis.
After handling a part-time workload as a rookie, the former undrafted free agent became a defensive starter for the Colts. Moore has been a mainstay in the secondary since then, racking up 111 starts over the course of his career. During the 2024 offseason, a $10MM-per-year deal was worked out to ensure he would remain in the fold. That represented a record figure for pure slot corners at the time.
Moore remained a key figure in the secondary during the first year of that new contract, collecting three interceptions. The former Pro Bowler totaled 14 appearances this past season, but playing under new defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo his snap share saw a notable drop. Scheme fit is seen as an issue in this case, Schefter’s colleague Stephen Holder notes. A parting of ways could allow Moore to start over while paving the way for Justin Walley – who was drafted in the third round last year but did not play during his rookie campaign – to take on first-team slot duties.
Moore’s contract was restructured in October to lower his immediate cap hit. As a result, his pact is set to void in February 2027. The 30-year-old is owed $10MM this season with a scheduled cap charge of $13.11MM. A trade at this point would create $7.06MM in cap savings while generating a dead money charge of $6.05MM. If the Colts waited until after June 1, the financial benefits of a swap would be far greater ($9.91MM in savings, $3.2MM in dead money).
The Colts have named getting younger and faster on defense as an offseason goal, and moving on from Moore (one of the team’s longest-tenured players) would allow for that to happen. It would also give an acquiring team a veteran presence in the secondary, and one who has played at least 11 games in every season of his career to date. Adding draft capital for this month’s event could also beneficial for the Colts since they do not own a first-round selection in 2026 or ’27.
Moore has been held without an interception for a year only once in his career, and he has notched at least one sack during a season on seven occasions. He could be counted on as a starting presence for an acquiring team, although that will of course depend in large part on where he winds up in the event of a trade being finalized at some point this offseason.
Colts Restructure Kenny Moore’s Contract
The Colts restructured Kenny Moore‘s contract this week to create $3.8MM in cap room, per OverTheCap.
$4.75MM of the veteran cornerback’s 2025 salary was converted into a signing bonus. Since Moore’s contract expired after the 2026 season, the Colts added three void years to the deal to prorate his new bonus across five years instead of two. As a result, Moore’s cap hit rose by $950k in each of the remaining years. This type of restructure is known as a maximum restructure because it uses void years to create more cap space in the current year of the contract.
This particular restructure is notable because the Colts rarely use void years or maximum restructures despite their recent rise in popularity around the league. It could be an indicator that general manager Chris Ballard is looking to capitalize on a surprising 4-1 start with Daniel Jones under center with an aggressive move before the trade deadline. The team now has $7.63MM in cap space, which could be enough to make an addition in the coming weeks.
The Colts have been dealing with a number of injuries in their secondary since training camp and have been middling against opposing passing games to start the regular season. They are reportedly interested in free agent cornerback Tre Hawkins and could pursue a higher-profile defensive back on the trade market.
However, Ballard may also have been considering the team’s in-season expenses – i.e. practice squad elevations, signing injury replacements to the 53-man roster – when he completed the restructure. The Colts did not reduce Moore’s 2025 salary to the veteran minimum to create the the most space they could have. If Ballard was going shopping before the deadline, it would stand to reason that he would want as much cap space as possible to facilitate a deal.
Moore has been sidelined for multiple weeks with a hamstring injury, but it is not considered a major injury.
Colts, CB Mike Hilton Agree To Deal; CB Kenny Moore To Miss Time
11:45am: Moore’s calf injury is expected to leave him sidelined for multiple weeks, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. Given that update, the Hilton signing comes as no surprise. Per Rapoport, his addition has come about via a practice squad deal, but Hilton could land on the active roster in short order.
11:02am: Shortly after Miami release, Mike Hilton met with the Colts. No deal was worked out with the veteran corner, but that has now changed. 
Hilton is signing with Indianapolis, as first reported by NFL insider Jordan Schultz. The pact represents a reunion between the veteran slot corner and defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo. The latter led Cincinnati’s defense from 2019-24, overlapping with Hilton over that span.
As such, it came as little surprise when a Colts visit took place shortly before the start of the season. After no agreement was reached, Hilton also met with the Eagles. Upon seeing the first three weeks (with tonight’s contest pending) of the campaign go by without a contract in hand, though, Hilton now has his next NFL gig lined up. He could see notable playing time right away.
Kenny Moore suffered a calf injury yesterday, meaning the Colts’ regular slot starter could be unavailable for a period. ESPN’s Stephen Holder reports there is initial optimism with respect to a serious injury having been avoided in this case. Further testing will nevertheless take place on Monday, and more clarity will presumably emerge once that takes place.
In any event, Hilton will be counted on to play a role on a Colts secondary which dealt with a number of ailments even before the Moore injury. Having amassed 56 starts and 123 appearances in the regular season, Hilton represents a highly experienced option to be brought in during the season (and his familiarity with Anarumo’s scheme should make his acclimation process a relatively seamless one). The 31-year-old’s production has been consistent over the course of his career, and the same has generally been true in coverage.
Details on the pact are not known at this point, but it would come as no surprise if this were to be a deal near the veteran minimum covering the remainder of the campaign. Indianapolis entered Monday with roughly $4.8MM in cap space, and that figure will be lowered to an extent once the Hilton agreement become official. He will look to chip in defensively as the 3-0 Colts aim to maintain their strong start.
Colts To Re-Sign CB Kenny Moore
Chris Ballard has shown a steady track record of retaining homegrown players. This now extends to third contracts. After retaining Grover Stewart, the eighth-year Colts GM has struck a deal with Kenny Moore.
The veteran slot cornerback is re-signing with the Colts, with ESPN’s Adam Schefter reporting a three-year, $30MM deal is coming Moore’s way. This will be a record-setting deal for a pure slot corner, at $10MM per year. Moore has been one of the NFL’s top slot players in recent years. After angling for a raise, the former UDFA will end up receiving it in free agency. KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson reported the sides were talks earlier this afternoon.
Coming off his Pro Bowl nod, Moore pushed for a new contract in 2022. With two years remaining on the inside cover man’s previous deal, the Colts did not come off their stance. No known talks transpired in 2023, and Moore played out his contract. Despite the slot market having stalled out and Moore going into his age-29 season, he still looks to have done well. Of course, the guarantees here will better illustrate that.
The Colts gave Moore a four-year, $33MM deal following his second season, paying him in 2019 due to the CBA allowing undrafted players to re-sign a year early. Like Stewart, Moore rewarded the Colts on this contract; both players brought in during Ballard’s first offseason as GM will be kept on contracts that run into their 30s. Corners in their 30s bring more volatility compared to DTs in the back halves of their careers, but Moore has been Indy’s top cornerback for several years.
Indianapolis ranked third in defensive DVOA in the slot compared to 25th in outside coverage. At 5-foot-9, Moore has made his bones in the slot. Moore’s 13 INTs from the slot position are five more than any other player since 2017 (h/t ESPN’s Ed Werder).
Although this market has dried up in the years since Chris Harris‘ Broncos deal came off the books back in 2020, the Colts are making Moore another commitment. With the team facing big questions at its boundary corner positions — after a year that brought the Stephon Gilmore trade and Isaiah Rodgers gambling ban — Moore will be back to anchor the CB group.
AFC South Notes: Taylor, Rankins, Colts
The Jaguars are retooling their defensive staff after their late-season collapse knocked them out of playoff position, but Jacksonville’s offense submitted a clunky campaign as well. Trevor Lawrence did not take the step forward many expected, battling injuries and producing an inconsistent third season. After finishing 10th in points and yards in 2022, the Jags ranked 13th in both categories (and 18th in DVOA) this season. As Doug Pederson fired most of his defensive assistants, SI.com’s Albert Breer notes some late-season buzz pointed to GM Trent Baalke taking a hard look into the state of the offense.
This effort is believed to have centered around OC Press Taylor, whom Pederson gave play-calling duties before the season. Pederson called plays in 2022. Pederson displayed loyalty to Taylor in Philadelphia, and Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie was not onboard with the prospect of Press Taylor — the younger brother of Bengals HC Zac Taylor — staying on as Eagles QBs coach and pass-game coordinator for a second season back in 2021. (The Eagles did not employ an OC that year, making Taylor Pederson’s top lieutenant on that side of the ball.) Nearly two weeks after the Jags’ season ended, Taylor remains on track to be the Jags’ OC for a third year. The coming season will be pivotal for the Jags, who may want to see a true leap from Lawrence before extending him.
Here is the latest from the AFC South:
- Sheldon Rankins has now played out his one-year Texans contract, though the team has exclusive negotiating rights with the veteran defensive tackle until the legal tampering period begins in March. Rankins, however, said (via KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson) he would prefer to re-sign with the Texans rather than leaving in free agency. Working as a full-time starter, Rankins played well in Houston. The former Saints and Jets D-tackle registered six sacks and returned a fumble for a touchdown this season. The Texans have part of their DT equation solved, having given Maliek Collins another contract (two years, $23MM) last summer.
- Kenny Moore‘s Colts contract became an issue back in 2022. With the NFL still not placing considerable value on slot cornerbacks financially — at least, not compared to high-end boundary cover men — Moore expressed frustration about the four-year, $33.3MM deal he signed back in 2019. Moore has now played out his deal and is on track to be a first-time free agent. One of the NFL’s better slot corners over the course of his career, Moore became vital to a Colts team that did not feature consistent perimeter coverage this season. While the prospect of testing the market would seem appealing, Moore said (via the Indianapolis Star’s Joel Erickson) he wants to stay in Indianapolis. After an injury-plagued 2022, Moore returned to form this season. With Moore intercepting three passes and returning two for TDs, Pro Football Focus ranked the 28-year-old defender 17th at the position.
- Ryan Kelly attempted to set the record straight recently, indicating (via Fox 59’s Mike Chappell) he is not considering retirement. The eight-year Colts center finished up his age-30 season, ranking as Pro Football Focus’ No. 8 overall center, and is under contract for 2024. The Colts shopped Kelly this past offseason. The final year of the Pro Bowler’s contract includes a nonguaranteed $11.4MM base salary.
Colts To Retain C Ryan Kelly, CB Kenny Moore II
The Colts are planning to retain both center Ryan Kelly and cornerback Kenny Moore II, as Zak Keefer of The Athletic writes (subscription required). GM Chris Ballard recently fielded trade calls on both players, and a report last month indicated that he was actively shopping Kelly, but he clearly did not get an offer to his liking.
“They’re both great Colts, and we’re glad they’re here,” Ballard said. “When you’ve got a good football player that is a great person and a great fit, it makes it hard to move away from those guys.”
Kelly, who will turn 30 in May, was one of the primary culprits in the surprising regression that the Colts’ offensive line experienced in 2022. That group, widely considered one of the team’s greatest strengths, struggled last season, and Kelly himself earned middle-of-the-road grades from Pro Football Focus after surrendering five sacks, 25 total pressures, and failing to generate much push in the run game. Still, he earned Pro Bowl acclaim every year from 2019-21, and as Indianapolis could soon be deploying a rookie quarterback, having an accomplished player at the pivot makes sense.
Moore, who is entering his age-28 season, lobbied for a new contract last year. While the deal that he signed in 2019 set a record for slot corners, Moore argued that his pay should reflect the fact that slot defenders are really starting players in today’s pass-heavy league, and that his ability to line up outside the numbers, make tackles in space, and play behind the line of scrimmage should also be rewarded. Ultimately, the Colts did not make any adjustments to Moore’s contract, and Moore turned in perhaps the worst season of his career.
Although PFF continued to laud his work against the run, it assigned Moore a poor overall grade of 55.7. He failed to record an interception for the first time in his six professional seasons, and he yielded an unsightly quarterback rating of 117.7. In fairness, he was playing through a torn ligament in his left hand and also dealt with a right hand sprain before his season was cut short by an ankle injury, and he did not fit as well in defensive coordinator Gus Bradley‘s scheme as he had in the scheme utilized by former DC Matt Eberflus. Regardless of the reason, though, Moore’s performance took a lucrative new contract off the table for the time being, so his upcoming platform campaign will be especially critical for his future earning power.
Releasing Moore would create a cap savings of $7.6MM while leaving a minimal dead money charge of $500K, and a trade would remove the dead money hit completely. Still, after the Colts traded Stephon Gilmore and saw Brandon Facyson defect to the Raiders in free agency, the team’s cornerback depth is suspect. Per Joel A. Erickson of the Indianapolis Star, Ballard — who concedes the Gilmore deal was partially cap-driven — thinks highly of presumptive boundary starters Isaiah Rodgers and Dallis Flowers, but it makes sense that he would not want to thin the CB room even further by cutting ties with Moore (Twitter link).
Nonetheless, one would expect Ballard to attempt to shore up the position in the coming months, and the draft would be one way to do that. Likewise, new head coach Shane Steichen wants to add reinforcements to the offensive line, as Keefer tweets, and an heir apparent for Kelly could be in the cards. At present, 2022 UDFA Wesley French represents the Colts’ fallback option at center.
Minor NFL Transactions: 1/4/23
Today’s minor NFL transactions:
Baltimore Ravens
- Designated for return: CB Daryl Worley
Buffalo Bills
- Signed off Jets practice squad: S Jared Mayden
- Waived: CB Xavier Rhodes
Chicago Bears
- Placed on IR: CB Josh Blackwell, G Teven Jenkins, OT Michael Schofield III
- Signed to active roster: LB DeMarquis Gates, DE Jalyn Holmes, LB Terrell Lewis
Dallas Cowboys
- Designated for return: G Matt Farniok
Detroit Lions
- Designated for return: CB Chase Lucas
Indianapolis Colts
- Placed on IR: CB Kenny Moore II
- Signed off Jaguars practice squad: DE Rashod Berry
Minnesota Vikings
- Designated for return: DL Jonathan Bullard
New Orleans Saints
- Placed on NFI: RB Dwayne Washington
- Signed to active roster: WR Keith Kirkwood
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed to active roster: TE Tyler Mabry
Washington Commanders
- Placed on IR: LB De’Jon Harris
Injury Updates: Eichenberg, Smith, Parker, Moore, Bellinger
Dolphins guard Liam Eichenberg was carted off the field in this Sunday’s trip to Detroit. The injury isn’t as serious as initially feared, but it appears Eichenberg has suffered an MCL injury and will miss some time, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.
Miami will have options to replace Eichenberg. Michael Deiter started eight games at center last year for the Dolphins and 15 games at Eichenberg’s left guard position in 2019. Brandon Shell and Greg Little are also options with plenty of starting experience, albeit at tackle. Robert Jones is also an option after starting a game last year.
Here are a few other injury updates from around the NFL:
- The Vikings are expected to be down another tight end after Irv Smith suffered a high ankle sprain in Sunday’s win over the Cardinals, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. With Ben Ellefson on injured reserve, Minnesota will have to rely on veteran Johnny Mundt who came over from Los Angeles in the offseason. Mundt has had limited targets this year with Minnesota’s litany of talented pass catchers, but his 12 receptions are already more than he had during his five years with the Rams. The Vikings will also likely explore the option of signing one of its two practice squad tight ends, Jacob Hollister and Nick Muse.
- After suffering a knee sprain on the first play of the Patriots’ win over the Jets this weekend, wide receiver DeVante Parker is not expected to miss extended time, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. Rapoport reports that if he does miss time, it should only be one game, especially since New England has a bye after next Sunday’s contest against the Colts. He should definitely be back in time for a rematch with the Jets in Week 11.
- Colts cornerback Kenny Moore suffered a right hand sprain in practice last week, according to James Boyd of The Athletic. As Boyd inquired about the injury, Moore revealed that he has also been playing with a torn ligament in his left hand since the start of the season. Neither injury is expected to hold Moore out of any games, but this interview offered a glimpse into what Moore has been playing through this year.
- After a gruesome freak accident that saw Jaguars rookie linebacker Devin Lloyd strike Giants tight end Daniel Bellinger directly in the eye on a whiffed attempt to punch the ball out, Bellinger reportedly “underwent successful surgery to correct fractures on (the) lower window of (his) eye socket and damage to (his) septum,” according to Fowler. Bellinger hopes to return in two to six weeks, but other sources indicate that four to six weeks is a much more reasonable timeline.