Less than two weeks ahead of the NFL draft, a Pro Bowl talent has hit the trade block.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Indianapolis Colts and Kenny Moore II have mutually agreed to seek a trade.

Given that the New York Jets are coming off a season in which they intercepted zero passes, it is natural that they will be viewed as a candidate to acquire just about any veteran player who could help their pass defense.

Should the Jets make a move for Moore?

Kenny Moore to New York?

Moore, 30, is entering his 10th NFL season. He will turn 31 before the season begins.

This is around the age where defensive backs tend to crash into a wall. So, before even entertaining whether the Jets should trade for Moore, we have to answer a simple question: Can he still play?

Moore isn’t quite the same player he was when he made the Pro Bowl back in 2021, but the longtime slot specialist is still a reliable nickel defender.

Across 14 games in 2025, Moore was targeted 66 times across 438 coverage snaps, allowing 43 receptions, 540 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. He allowed an 89.2 passer rating on throws into his coverage, ranking 36th-best out of 85 qualified corners. Just as he has throughout his career, he played almost exclusively in the slot.

Pro Football Focus rated Moore with a 62.1 coverage grade, placing 48th out of 85 qualifiers. However, Moore’s 84.4 run defense grade was fifth-best at the position.

Overall, Moore projects as an average starting slot corner moving forward, with stronger run defense than coverage.

This could make him a useful player for the Jets, who lack a proven option in the slot. Their current projected starter is Jarvis Brownlee Jr., a 2025 mid-season trade acquisition. The 2024 seventh-round pick showed flashes of high-level play across seven games with the Jets, but struggled overall, allowing a 103.7 passer rating and earning a 48.4 overall PFF grade.

Brownlee’s potential is evident, but the Jets should look to push him rather than hand him the job. Moore is good enough to provide the Jets with a high-floor starter if Brownlee does not pan out as hoped, but since he has declined to an average-level starter, he will not get in Brownlee’s way if Brownlee shows the higher ceiling in training camp.

Acquiring Moore would aid Brownlee’s development, not hinder it, as his extensive slot experience would be a major boon for the 24-year-old.

It is also worth noting that Moore profiles similarly to Brownlee. While Brownlee struggled mightily in coverage for the Jets (45.9 PFF coverage grade), he impressed with his physicality and tackling (67.6 PFF run defense grade, 70.6 PFF tackling grade).

Since the Jets traded for Brownlee, it stands to reason that his skill set is an indicator of what the Jets covet at the slot position. Moore fits the bill, offering elite-level run defense and physicality, even if his coverage has declined to slightly below-average.

Moore seems like an excellent fit for New York. Should the Jets make a move, though?

Exploring a Kenny Moore trade

Moore is entering the final year of his contract. He has a cap hit of $13.1 million, including a $9.5 million base salary. As of now, the team acquiring Moore would take on that $9.5 million base salary, while the Colts would remain on the hook for the rest of the money.

Most likely, Moore’s deal would be tweaked to facilitate the deal, as there are unlikely to be any teams willing to give up $9.5 million plus trade assets to acquire a 31-year-old slot corner who projects as an average starter at best. Indianapolis may have to agree to eat a significant chunk of his base salary.

From there, Moore could likely be acquired for a minimal trade package along with his reduced one-year salary—either a seventh-round pick or a Day 3 pick swap. Given how well he fits into the Jets’ situation as a competitor and mentor for Brownlee, this could be a worthwhile price for the Jets.

New York general manager Darren Mougey has executed 12 player trades since taking over in 2025. Many of those deals involved Mougey shipping out the old guard for future draft picks, but he has also made quite a few deals in which he acquired a player for lowly draft compensation, including his trades for Brownlee, Jowon Briggs, and Harrison Phillips. Trading for Moore would continue this trend.

Moore would also fit snugly into the general vision of New York’s veteran additions this offseason. The Jets did not break the bank for any particular players. Instead, they focused on adding a quantity of high-floor veterans who could raise the team’s collective floor in 2026 while also providing valuable mentorship for the young players on the roster—all without hindering the long-term cap sheet.

For many reasons, pursuing Kenny Moore II makes plenty of sense for the Jets.