Why Kenny Moore II Is the Most Important Defender for the Colts
No position on the defensive side of the ball for the Indianapolis Colts has seen a makeover like the cornerback position.
Three of the top four players in terms of snaps at cornerback are no longer on the team. Gone are Stephon Gilmore (trade), Brandon Facyson (free agency), and Isaiah Rodgers Sr. (suspension/cut). It is a new area of Colts football at cornerback.
In their place are three rookies. Second-round pick JuJu Brents, fifth-round pick Darius Rush, and seventh-round pick Jaylon Jones are all looking to contribute immediately. A couple of former undrafted free agents currently own the starting spots on the outside in Darrell Baker Jr. and Dallis Flowers.
But one player remaining from the core group of Colts cornerbacks is Kenny Moore II. Moore is returning for his seventh season in a Colts uniform. He is also the most experienced cornerback on the Colts' roster, meaning he could be the most important player on the entire Colts' defense.
Like many of his teammates, 2022 was a tough season for Moore. Switching to a new defense under defensive coordinator Gus Bradley was a much harder transition than originally imagined, and Moore struggled to find his groove. While last year is something Moore would like to forget, he is feeling good ahead of the 2023 season.
“I feel great," Moore said when he reported for training camp. "I mean it was a lot of time off and it was a lot of time spent with family and myself – a long time. A lot of workouts (and) a lot of great people I spoke to. I feel great."
After being selected to his first Pro Bowl in 2021, Moore had a down season last year. Moore missed five games due to injury, racking up only 65 tackles and failing to force a turnover for the first time in his career. He had forced five turnovers in each of the past two seasons before 2022.
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There was no guarantee Moore would return in 2023. Entering the final year of a four-year, $33.3 million contract, the veteran's name came up in trade conversations throughout the spring. The Colts ultimately kept Moore on the roster and are glad they did.
"He’s an electric player," head coach Shane Steichen explained. "Shoot, going against him on the opposing sideline and now to be on the same team with him. He’s a dynamic player, he’s a great cover guy, he makes plays and it’s hard to throw against him.”
There is no denying Moore struggled to adjust to the Colts' new defense last season. The struggles caused Moore to become a shell of himself physically and mentally. He felt like he was letting the team down, and his demeanor changed completely. Instead of flashing his patented smile and bringing a spark to the locker room, Moore became quiet and secluded.
Moore and Bradley did not want 2023 to be a repeat of 2022. The two have established an honest and open line of communication, working together all offseason to find a way for Moore to excel in this defense and return to his Pro Bowl form. They both know when at his best, Moore is an impactful playmaker for the Colts' defense.
The changes made during the offseason have been a success so far. Moore has been one of the standouts of training camp. When he has been on the field – he is currently dealing with a minor ankle injury – Moore has been a pest for any wide receiver he has been matched up on. Bradley and the rest of the Colts' coaching staff are noticing Moore looks more and more like his old self with each passing practice.
“We’ve been fortunate to be around some very good nickels in this league and in our system," Bradley admitted. "Right now, Kenny Moore is playing the best of the corners that we’ve had in a few years now. He’s playing at a high level. We see him, we appreciate him, but just hearing from the offensive coaches and some of the offensive coaches that have gone against him – he is held in very high regard as a playmaker, as a guy with tremendous instincts that plays fast.
"That’s what we’re seeing in camp. He’s consistently showing up with those traits. He’s got a great mindset. He’s ultra, ultra-competitive. He’s a guy that the defense, no doubt they look to him as far as the standard that we’re trying to get to. He’s pushing guys in all three position groups to get to that level. We couldn’t ask for any more of him.”
Moore is undoubtedly one of the most respected leaders on this team. Coming into the NFL as an undrafted free agent and climbing the ladder to starter and then Pro Bowler, Moore has earned everything in this league. There was no way he would let last year become the norm.
Mandatory Credit: Mykal McEldowney-USA TODAY Sports
The veteran cornerback seems to be playing free and fast again. Moore can play with his instincts and knows what he needs to do to be successful in this scheme. Allowing Moore to use his football instincts again is one of the reasons Bradley feels the cornerback is showing out.
“I think the comfort level last year was everything we heard about him," Bradley mentioned. "Now, it’s everything we know about him having a year with him. I think the respect for his play just keeps adding up with every practice. The things he does, it might not be ‘Okay when you get this, this is how we see it’, and he just uses reactions. Sometimes it’ll be, ‘Hey, I just felt it so I shot my gun’ or ‘I took a shot here,’ and you just have such great trust with him. He has such a really good feel for the game, so I think now about having a year of experience with him, now we’ve seen it.”
The Colts desperately need Moore back to his former self this season. By rolling out a group of rookie and second-year players, none of which have any starts in the NFL, the cornerback position will likely have ups and downs. It is up to Moore to set the tone on and off the field as they head into a challenging year.
"The expectation is for us to build and come together as strong as possible," Moore noted. "Because we may lose too, but we have to be able to get back over that hump. We have to be able to get the energy back flowing. Whenever things go wrong, we can’t back into a corner and let everything fall apart. We’ve got to be able to be strong enough to overcome.”
The Colts have turned the page at the cornerback position and hope for a bright future. The performance may determine how successful the Colts' defense is in 2023. If Moore can return to his Pro Bowl form, it would go a long way toward finding the success they are striving for.
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