How safe is cornerback Justin Walley's spot on the Indianapolis Colts' roster? So safe that the second-year player didn't have to play in the preseason game against the New England Patriots. This was the case because Walley is basically a rookie.
The slot corner will be taking the spot of longtime starter Kenny Moore. Moore wanted to be traded this offseason, but nothing materialized. He then asked to be released, and Indianapolis granted his request. Moore might have been beaten out by Walley for the nickelback spot anyway.
Is that too much faith to place in a player who hasn't yet participated in a down of NFL football? Seemingly not. Walley was brilliant in last year's training camp, too, but then he tore his ACL during a joint practice with the Baltimore Ravens and missed the season. The Colts had seen enough to assume Walley would be a benefit in the future.
Justin Walley is ready to help Indianapolis Colts fans forget about Kenny Moore
He hasn't proven the team incorrect in this year's training camp, either. He has picked up where he left off in 2025, but has a year of understanding what defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo wants from his defense. Some players can sit and learn and be good, and some need to play. Walley appears to lean toward the former.
He was a star in Indianapolis's short practice on Saturday. In a red-zone session, Walley kept denying catches to receivers. This is extremely important for a nickelback, tasked with tight coverage at the line of scrimmage against quick slot receivers. Any separation between receiver and cornerback can result in a touchdown.
Justin Walley still has to prove he can be good in real games, of course. His role will be different from the one Moore had during most of his years with the Indianapolis Colts, too. Anarumo doesn't use a slot corner on every play. Before he arrived in Indy last year, Moore was used to playing more than 90 percent of defensive snaps. Last season, Moore's percentage dipped to closer to 70 percent.
What should help Walley succeed quickly is the talent on the outside for Anarumo's defense. Sauce Gardner is elite, and Charvarius Ward, as long as he is healthy, can be very good, too. If both are available for most, if not all, of the games, Indianapolis will play more press coverage, allowing Walley to potentially be more of a force in other areas.
He has shown quickness and route understanding to cover well in practice, but he could also have an impact in run support. In college at Minnesota, he was very good in that area, and he will probably be better than Moore. In other words, very soon Justin Walley will likely make Colts fans forget all about Kenny Moore.
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