Indianapolis Colts general manager Chris Ballard wasn’t lying in saying they want to reward their own. Cornerback Kenny Moore is the latest of players to receive a contract extension in the past few weeks.
The 23-year-old is getting a four-year extension, which will lock him up through the 2023 season. His new deal will make him the highest-paid slot cornerback in the NFL, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
Given what Moore has meant to the Colts since arriving in 2017, this extension was well-deserved.
After signing with the New England Patriots as an undrafted free agent in 2017, Moore was waived during the final roster cuts just before the regular season. Ballard had a keen eye for Moore and used a waiver claim to bring him in.
The Valdosta State product wound up playing all 16 games during his rookie season but mostly in a limited role. It wasn’t until the home stretch of a lost season in 2017 that Moore claimed a starting role in the defense, showing there was plenty of promise in his game.
Following an offseason in 2018 that continued the revamp of the defense, Moore quickly emerged as the best cornerback in the room. He instantly became a starter to begin the season, manning the slot while seeing some time on the outside when it was called for.
He wound up starting 15 games and becoming arguably the second-most impactful defender behind only All-Pro linebacker Darius Leonard. Moore was used in several roles and showed he can excel in various coverages.
Playing 86.9% of the defensive snaps throughout the regular season, Moore led the cornerback room and recorded the third-most snaps played on that side of the ball.
Though the Colts were predominantly a zone defense in the first year under new coordinator Matt Eberflus, they weren’t afraid to let Moore work in man coverage. This is especially true on third downs.
Given his long wingspan, Moore is also a strong press cornerback despite his height.
The Colts haven’t been shy about rewarding their own. This extension is well-deserved for Moore, who is quickly emerging as one of the best—if not the best—slot cornerback in the NFL.
