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.
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 and tight end Mo Alie-Cox as the only Colts left from Ballard’s first offseason in charge. Now, the veteran cornerback follows longtime Colts Braden Smith 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.
More to come.