The Indianapolis Colts could make a number of moves to clear some cash for free agency. The good part is that the salary cap is expected to be quite a bit higher for the 2026 offseason, but that means every team has more money. Indy doesn't suddenly have an advantage in a bidding war for a player.
A couple of ways general manager Chris Ballard could open cap space in hopes of re-signing quarterback Daniel Jones, wide receiver Alec Pierce, and others is to release wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. (saving $24 million) and slot corner Kenny Moore (saving a little over $7 million).
If those moves are made, and no guarantee exists that they will, the next question is how to replace Pittman and Moore. Pittman might be easier, especially if Indy brings back Pierce, because the Colts' wide receiver group is pretty deep. The team doesn't necessarily have a replacement for Moore on the current roster.
Indianapolis Colts could replace Kenny Moore with Indiana Hoosiers' D'Angelo Ponds
That player could come in the 2026 NFL draft in the person of Indiana Hoosiers star D'Angelo Ponds. Ponds switched from James Madison to Indiana when head coach Curt Cignetti changed schools. The coach was well aware of Ponds' importance, just as Indianapolis fans would do.
Ponds is a bit undersized, and he definitely would be for an outside corner, at 5'9" and 175 pounds, but there is no doubt about his willingness to try to help in run support. He is a fierce tackler and plays much bigger than his size. The difference in the NFL, of course, would be that the players are bigger and stronger than in college. Ponds would have to gain mass while keeping his quickness.
In terms of coverage, in three years in college, he allowed just four touchdown passes while having seven interceptions. In 2025, he gave up no TDs. His career passer rating allowed was an astonishingly low 54.1. Only 49.2 percent of passes thrown his way were completed.
Maybe the most impressive part of his game is that he whiffed on only 6.1 percent of his tackle attempts in three seasons, but just 3.0 percent in 2025. For a defensive back, that kind of ability to wrap up would-be tacklers is extremely rare. While his size might be an issue in the NFL, his tackling technique will translate immediately to the league.
To get D'Angelo Ponds, the Indianapolis Colts might need to use a second-round pick on the cornerback. If he is still around in the third round, and even if Moore is still on the team, Indy should take Ponds. After all, Moore will be 31 years old in the 2026 season, and sooner rather than later, he won't be a part of the team. Ponds would be his built-in replacement.