Getty Former teammate of Indianapolis Colts cornerback Kenny Moore II gave him high praise on June 17.
It’s been an offseason of high praise for Indianapolis Colts cornerback Kenny Moore II. That continued on June 14, as one of Moore’s former teammates was very complimentary of his abilities.
Media personality and former Colts defensive back Darius Butler named and ranked his top five slot cornerbacks in the NFL on Good Morning Football on NFL Network. He placed Moore at the top of the list at No. 1.
.@DariusJButler‘s Top 5 Current Slot Defenders!
Who would you add to this list?
“There can only be one, and that’s Kenny Moore, down there in Indy,” Butler said. “One of my former teammates, I was with him as a young guy. I would say I taught him everything he knows, but that would be a lie.
“Because, son, he could do something that I could never do, and that’s blitz, get to the quarterback, make more tackles in the run game, but he also turns the ball over at a high clip at the slot defender position.”
Butler also mentioned that Moore has nearly twice as many interceptions as any other slot cornerback since the start of the 2018 season.
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Moore Considered Best Slot Cornerback in the NFL
Butler is not alone in his opinion about Moore being the best slot cornerback in the league.
NFL analyst Anthony Treash of Pro Football Focus also ranked Moore at No. 1 on his list of the top slot cornerbacks in the NFL.
“There’s no denying his ability to see the game at a high level — his instincts and processing are vital traits for a slot corner, and he checks the box with flying colors,” wrote Treash.
While appearing on The Dan Patrick Show on June 3, Super Bowl MVP and Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp joined in on the praise for Moore. Kupp called the Colts nickel back one of the best two cornerbacks he faced during the 2021 season.
“There’s a few guys that I thought may not get as much credit or respect, whatever you want to call it,” Kupp said. “I thought Kenny Moore, the nickel we played, he plays for the Colts, I thought Kenny Moore was a really good nickel. He did some really good stuff.”
Other Top Slot Cornerbacks in the NFL
Moore is far from the biggest-named defender on the Colts roster, but he’s beginning to gain a lot more recognition this offseason.
Chauncey Gardner-Johnson of the New Orleans Saints and Mike Hilton of the Cincinnati Bengals were the only other slot cornerbacks ranked in the top five of both Butler and Treash’s lists. The other cornerback Kupp named as the toughest he faced last season was Jaylon Johnson of the Chicago Bears.
For the Colts, it’s actually not a great time for Moore to begin receiving the recognition he deserves. Moore did not participate in voluntary offseason workouts, reportedly holding out for a new contract. He returned to the field for mandatory minicamp, but Moore implied his contract situation remains unresolved.
Spotrac reports Moore will be the 27th-highest-paid cornerback in the league during 2022 based on average annual salary. He has two years remaining on his deal.
The Colts acquired Moore off waivers from the New England Patriots in September 2017. He played for the Colts during Butler’s last season with the team.
Butler concluded his slot cornerback rankings by claiming that Indianapolis should open the wallet for Moore.
“Pay this man!”