The Indianapolis Colts' pass defense left plenty to be desired last season. As such, revamping the secondary was one of the team's offseason priorities, even if that meant parting ways with some of their best players.
Kenny Moore II is a former Pro Bowler who was a strong contributor to this team more often than not. However, he was never a good fit in defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo's system, and even he knew he'd benefit from a change of scenery.
The Colts still drew criticism for releasing him after failing to work out a trade. Nevertheless, it's been months since they moved on from him, and with no takers in free agency, it feels like the Colts made the right call.
The lack of interest in Kenny Moore II is a vindication to the Indianapolis Colts
A nine-year veteran slot corner with a Pro Bowl nod under his belt, it initially seemed that Kenny Moore wouldn't be a free agent for long. Fast forward to today, and he's still waiting for another opportunity.
This shows that one-dimensional cornerbacks are a thing of the past now. Moore thrives in zone defenses, but as more teams shift toward hybrid schemes and more complex systems, players must develop an all-around skill set to keep up.
By moving on from him, the Colts saved nearly $10 million in cap space. They still haven't put that money to use with a big move, but this is a long season, and they may shock the world again as they did when they acquired Sauce Gardner.
On paper, the Colts didn't get better at nickelback after his departure. Justin Walley and Austin Brown will handle the bulk of the work there, with rookie A.J. Haulcy and Cam Bynum also rotating here and there.
That said, Anarumo's system requires a certain skill set and body of work, so while the names might not necessarily be better, the overall fit definitely will. At least, that's the expectation after reuniting him with some of his former players, and the margin for error will be closer to zero.
As for Kenny Moore, there's still a chance that he'll make his way to a roster at some point before the start of the season. What he can rest assured about, though, is that he won't be making anything close to the $9.49 million base salary he was slated to receive had he stayed with the Colts.
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