Among the many notable absentees from ongoing OTAs is Colts cornerback Kenny Moore. As is the case with a number of other players skipping the voluntary program, he is doing so in the hopes of landing a more lucrative contract, as detailed by Joel A. Erickson of the Indy Star.
Moore, 26, has experienced quite the upward career trajectory. Beginning his tenure in Indianapolis as a former UDFA in 2017, he quickly emerged as a starter and key contributor to the team’s secondary. As a result, he was given a four-year extension in 2019. The $30M in new money he received as a result of the deal was a record for slot corners.
He still has two years remaining on that contract, with salaries of $6.5M and $6.795M. His cap hits over that span are $6.75M and $7.545M, which represent solid value given his level of play. Between Moore’s continued ascension – which included a Pro Bowl nod after a career year in 2021 – and the fact that there is no more guaranteed money left on his contract, he is now among the players attempting to leverage a new deal.
As Erickson states, Moore is “upset and feels like he’s underpaid” relative to his contributions to the team. If he were to negotiate a new contract, it would represent another significant move made by the Colts with respect to their CB room. The team traded away Rock Ya-Sin and signed Stephon Gilmore in free agency this offseason. The situation with one of their most important defensive backs, however, could now become more complicated than many would have expected.
More must-reads: