This offseason, the Indianapolis Colts chose not to keep Kenny Moore II around.
Moore reached free agency, and while he’s been a stalwart for the Colts, they let him remain on the open market rather than bring him back.
Given Moore’s successes at the NFL level, it makes sense that he’d eventually have other teams interested in signing him, even though it didn’t happen by Week 1.
Lions Linked to Kenny Moore
NFL insider Mike Garafolo reported on Sunday that the Lions may want to look into Moore.
Detroit has struggled against the pass at times in recent years, so a new defensive back would make sense.
Garafolo: Lions among multiple teams to check in on CB Kenny Moore II.
— Underdog NFL (@UnderdogNFL) September 20, 2026
Kenny Moore’s Colts Career
Moore was an undrafted player who turned himself into a staple for the Colts for nearly a decade.
He was a 5-foot-9 cornerback coming out of unheralded Valdosta State. Those aren’t normally guys who pan out.
But as the NFL became more receiver-happy, Moore proved quite adept at playing as a nickel-back and guarding players in the slot.
With that skillset in mind, Moore earned himself a chance.
Once on the field, he simply made play after play.
Moore had six different seasons with the Colts of multiple interceptions — including three with three and two more with four.
Moore also almost always had at least a sack each season, and he had a knack for making plays as a tackler in the run game.
He did pretty much everything the Colts could want from him, and he appeared in double-digit games in every season, too.
Why Is Kenny Moore Still A Free Agent?
The question is stumping The Athletic’s Daniel Popper, who wrote about Moore in a new article this week.
“The Indianapolis Colts cut Moore in early May,” Popper writes. “He spent the first nine years of his career in Indianapolis. It is surprising that Moore still has not found a team for the 2026 season. Though he turned 31 in August, Moore remains one of the better nickel cornerbacks in the NFL. He is sound in coverage. He can defend the run. He can blitz. Nickels should be viewed as starters in the modern NFL. Last season, according to TruMedia, defenses were in nickel or dime packages — five or six defensive backs — on close to 70 percent of snaps. Teams in need of a starting-caliber nickel player should be targeting Moore.”
The Lions could be the team that ends this free agency for Moore sooner rather than later.
Colts’ 132-Game Starter Linked to Lions in Non-Trade Move