Predicting Kenny Moore II's Potential Colts Contract Extension

Indianapolis Colts cornerback Kenny Moore II became a Pro Bowler in Indy, and he would like to continue calling the Hoosier State home.

Chris Ballard has continually preached "growing and keeping our own," referencing the desire of the Indianapolis Colts franchise to reward players who have been in Indy from the beginning of their careers with long-term contracts as they have developed into good, and sometimes great, players for the organization.

One of those players has been Kenny Moore II. Moore was claimed by the Colts in 2017 after the New England Patriots waived the undrafted rookie out of Valdosta State. Moore started on special teams but found his way to the starting lineup by the end of his rookie season. From there, Moore has blossomed into one of the best slot cornerbacks in the NFL.

For his career, Moore has tallied 516 tackles, 32 tackles for loss, 17 interceptions, 55 passes defensed, 9.5 sacks, four forced fumbles, and three defensive touchdowns. Moore was also selected to the 2021 Pro Bowl and has become a defensive playmaker for the Colts over the years. Not bad for a player who almost did not make it to the NFL just seven years ago.

After signing a four-year, $33.3 million contract with the Colts before the 2019 season, Moore will become a free agent this spring. Along with Michael Pittman Jr. and Grover Stewart, Moore is one of the most important in-house free agents for the Colts this offseason. Both parties would love to make a return happen for Moore if the price is right.

Let's look at how the Colts have handled cornerback signings in recent years and what players similar to Moore's level have signed for to help predict the details of a potential extension.

Ballard's Cornerback History

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Since Chris Ballard took over as the general manager of the Colts in 2017, cornerback has been a position riddled with one and two-year deals. However, if the Colts feel they can land or keep a high-level cornerback, Ballard has not been afraid to give out long-term deals.

Here are the contracts Ballard has given out to cornerbacks in the seven offseasons he has been at the helm for the Colts:

• Darrell Baker Jr. (2024): One-year, $985K deal
• Tony Brown (2023): One-year, $1.2 million deal
• Stephon Gilmore (2022): Two-year, $20 million deal
• Brandon Facyson (2022): One-year, $3.84 million deal
• Xavier Rhodes (2021): One-year, $4.77 million deal
• T.J. Carrie (2021): One-year, $2.09 million deal
• Rhodes (2020): One-year, $3 million deal
• Carrie (2020): One-year, $1.05 million deal
• Pierre Desir (2019): Three-year, $22.5 million deal
• Moore (2019): Four-year, $33.3 million deal
• Desir (2018): One-year, $1.75 million deal

As we've seen with the wide receiver signings and defensive tackle signings under Ballard, most cornerback signings have been for an average annual value (AAV) of under $5 million. But the Colts have given bigger deals to cornerbacks when they feel that player is a difference-maker. Some players who have signed for under $5 million have had impressive seasons as well.

What is different about Moore's situation is that he has been with the Colts for seven years. He has already received a long-term extension from the Colts and has more than lived up to the contract he received in 2019. Indy knows how important Moore is for their defense, especially considering how young the current secondary is for the Colts.

Linebacker Zaire Franklin spoke to Moore's importance for the defense and the team as a whole at the end of the season.

“I couldn’t put any more flowers on Kenny’s desk if I wanted to," Franklin said. "Just his leadership for me, a guy that I follow in this building. To be honest, I tell him all the time, I don’t know how it works without him to be honest with you. Just the role that he played in that DB room with all those young DBs, he was a guiding light for those guys – main communicator, playmaker.

"He means a ton to this team, he means a ton to me, and he means a ton to that locker room too. Kenny has been a mainstay for us for a long time. I don’t even want to know what it feels like without him."

Moore is a prime candidate for an extension with the Colts. The question is, how much is that going to cost?

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Comparable Players to Moore

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When negotiations begin, teams and agents use other contracts around the league to help set the market for a potential deal. Moore's negotiation will be no different, as his representatives will handle the cornerback's new deal.

For a better idea of where Moore's next contract may land, it is best to look at cornerbacks who compare to him in production, value to their team, and who have signed their deals within the last few seasons. The players most comparable to Moore are Kendall Fuller of the Washington Commanders, Darious Williams of the Jacksonville Jaguars, Jonathan Jones of the Patriots, and Byron Murphy of the Minnesota Vikings.

Cornerbacks who play most of their snaps on the outside are paid differently than those who primarily play in the slot. While a couple of these players now play outside corner for their respective teams, they received their deals while playing in the slot. All of the deals these players received, outside of Fuller, were given to the players no later than the 2022 season, meaning they accurately represent the slot cornerback market.

When comparing the production of these four defenders to Moore, here are each cornerback's total statistics for the two seasons before signing their extensions:

• Fuller (27 games): 131 tackles, four tackles for loss, two interceptions, 14 passes defended, a forced fumble
• Williams (30 games): 115 tackles, four tackles for loss, four interceptions, 23 passes defended
• Jones (22 games): 89 tackles, five interceptions, 14 passes defended, three forced fumbles
• Murphy (25 games): 100 tackles, three tackles for loss, four interceptions, 16 passes defended, a forced fumble

The averages for these categories come to 26 games, 109 tackles, three tackles for loss, four interceptions, 17 passes defended, and a forced fumble. Over the last two seasons, Moore has totaled 28 games, 158 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, three interceptions, 10 passes defended, and no forced fumbles. Moore has tallied more tackles and tackles for loss than any of the players while holding close in interceptions and passes defensed.

After seeing how the cornerbacks stack up production-wise, here are the deals each received and their AAV:

• Fuller: Four-year, $40 million deal ($10 million AAV)
• Williams: Three-year, $30 million deal ($10 million AAV)
• Jones: Two-year, $19 million deal ($9.5 million AAV)
• Murphy: Two-year, $17.5 million deal ($8.75 million AAV)

The past extensions given to these four give the Colts and Moore's camp a ballpark to start negotiations. Both sides will likely make claims to drive the price in their favor, but as Ballard loves to say, "The market is what the market is."

Moore Than Just Money

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While Moore is likely entering the backend of his career, he can still play at a high level. 2023 proved Moore is still one of the best slot cornerbacks in the league and can make plays all over the field. The leadership he brings to a young cornerback room will continue to be a valuable asset to the team as well.

After looking at the comparable players around the league and their deals, a realistic contract extension for Moore would be a two-year, $20.5 million deal ($10.25 million AAV). The extension would make Moore the 19th-highest-paid cornerback in terms of AAV and the highest-paid slot cornerback in the NFL.

The deal would give Moore almost $2 million more on an AAV basis than his current contract, a nice raise for the Pro Bowl corner. The deal also protects the Colts down the line, as it would expire shortly after Moore turns 30. The Colts can then decide if they would like to extend Moore past that point or move on if his play begins to decline.

Moore is one of the most beloved members of the Colts by the organization and fans alike. He brings a playmaking ability to Gus Bradley's defense that not many other players can replicate. The Colts would be wise to lock up the man they call "Lightning in a Bottle" for at least the next few seasons.

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