Chris Ballard has consistently advocated for “growing and keeping our own,” alluding to the Indianapolis Colts’ wish to give long-term contracts to players who have been with the team since the beginning of their careers as they have grown into competent—and occasionally exceptional—players for the group.
Kenny Moore II has been one of those players. After the New England Patriots waived the undrafted rookie out of Valdosta State, Moore was acquired by the Colts in 2017. By the end of his rookie season, Moore had moved up to the starting lineup from special teams. Moore has since developed into one of the NFL’s top slot cornerbacks.
Moore has 516 tackles, 32 tackles for loss, 17 interceptions, 55 passes defensed, 9.5 sacks, four forced fumbles, and three defensive touchdowns in his career. Over the years, Moore has developed into a defensive playmaker for the Colts and was also picked for the 2021 Pro Bowl. Not bad for a player who, only seven years ago, was on the verge of missing out on the NFL.
Moore will become a free agent this spring after agreeing to a four-year, $33.3 million contract with the Colts prior to the 2019 campaign. Moore, Grover Stewart, and Michael Pittman Jr. are the Colts’ three most significant in-house free agents this summer. If the cost is reasonable, both sides would be happy to see Moore’s return.
To help forecast the specifics of a possible extension, let’s examine how the Colts have handled CB signings in the past and what players of Moore’s calibre have signed for.
Cornerback has had a lot of one- and two-year contracts since Chris Ballard became the Colts’ general manager in 2017. Nonetheless, Ballard has not shied away from offering long-term contracts to Colts fans if they believe they can sign or retain a top-tier cornerback.
The majority of cornerback signings have been made for average annual values (AAVs) of less than $5 million, as we have seen with Ballard’s wide receiver and defensive tackle acquisitions. However, the Colts have offered cornerbacks larger contracts when they believe the player makes a significant impact. Several players who signed deals for less than $5 million have also had successful seasons.
Moore’s situation is unique because he has spent seven years as a member of the Colts. The Colts have already given him a long-term extension, and he has more than fulfilled the terms of his 2019 contract. Indianapolis is aware of Moore’s importance to their defence, particularly in light of the youth of the Colts’ current secondary.
At the end of the season, linebacker Zaire Franklin discussed Moore’s significance to the defence and the club.
Franklin remarked, “I couldn’t put any more flowers on Kenny’s desk if I wanted to.” “I just follow this guy in this building, so I appreciate his leadership.” To be really honest with you, I often tell him that I have no idea how things would function without him. Simply by virtue of his job as the primary communicator and playmaker in that DB room with all those inexperienced DBs, he was a beacon of guidance for those guys.
