With the NFL trade deadline looming, the Indianapolis Colts need to quickly make decisions on whether they can get value out of some of their players.
There is no fire sale happening in Indianapolis this week, unlike what the Carolina Panthers may begin doing after shipping off Robbie Anderson. With the November 1st trade deadline coming around, will we see Chris Ballard and the Colts active this season? There are several players that the Colts could trade for this year to help build a stronger unit, but what about players that could end up playing on a new team in 2022?
There are obvious players that Colts fans would like to no longer see as a member of Indy’s roster, but no team is going to take a player that is struggling as badly as Brandon Facyson. Besides, Gus Bradley has stated that Facyson is just struggling, but knows the defense and will likely continue playing.
The trade deadline can be tricky of course. Some teams will use it to build up their talent to make a push at a Super Bowl run and some will use it to offload players for valuable picks in the draft to build for future years.
Many Colts are untouchable for the success of the organization moving forward. Guys like Jonathan Taylor, Shaquille Leonard, and Quenton Nelson will not be moved this year unless there are extreme circumstances. It would require many first-round picks to move any of those three players.
So who is likely to see the door and get traded before the deadline?
3. Kenny Moore II gets a fresh start for a new contract
Kenny Moore II has been an exceptional player for the Indianapolis Colts in recent years. He was voted to the Pro Bowl last year and even was in the running for the Walter Payton Man of the Year.
After a successful season in 2021, Moore spent the offseason working on getting a new contract that would tie him to the Colts organization not only longer but for more money. There was a feeling that he was more valuable than what he was making and he should be compensated for that.
Moore is making $6.5 million in base salaries, with $250k in bonuses. He believed that he was worth so much more and should be paid as a top cornerback in the league, not just the top nickel cornerback.
As the 2022 season started, he decided that he was going to focus on his play and rework that new contract in next year’s offseason. However, the level of play significantly decreased. Moore was destined for great success in a new regime, but Gus Bradley is much different than previous defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus.
The Colts could send Kenny to Chicago to reunite him with the coordinator (now head coach) that brought Kenny to a whole new level in the league. With Jaylon Johnson injured, Kenny could bring an immediate impact to a struggling Bears secondary and provide veteran leadership to the locker room.
Kenny does not fit the defensive scheme in Indianapolis anymore, so whether he goes to Chicago or another team, he should be shopped around the league.