Pros and Cons of Cincinnati Bengals Potentially Signing Cornerback Kenny Moore II

While much of the focus this offseason has been on linebacker being the weakest – and thinnest – position on the Cincinnati Bengals roster, cornerback depth remains an issue to watch.

The Bengals drafted Tacario Davis in the third round, but adding his body in particular to the room shifts the question a little bit from depth to alignment, as the University of Washington product’s height and length could force Dax Hill, the most nomadic defensive back in franchise history, back inside to play nickel corner.

Regardless of how defensive coordinator Al Golden elects to deploy Davis, Hill and DJ Turner II, the first corner off the bench in the event of an injury would be 2023 seventh-round pick DJ Ivey or nickels Jalen Davis and Josh Newton.

The Bengals should be open to the idea of adding another cornerback before the start of training camp, if not sooner.

And a former Pro Bowl cornerback recently became available.

The Indianapolis Colts cut veteran nickel corner Kenny Moore II last Thursday after he requested a trade in early April and the team couldn’t find a partner.

An undrafted free agent out of Valdosta State in 2017, Moore entered the league as an undrafted free agent and carved out a solid nine-year career, all with the Colts, appearing in 132 games with 111 starts while earning a 2021 Pro Bowl berth.

He was due $9.5 million in 2026 on the final season of the three-year, $30 million extension he signed in March 24.

No teams were willing to pick up that salary via trade, and no one is likely to pay him anything close to that as a street free agent leading up to camp with all the money sunk into free agency and draft picks.

The Bengals are squeezed as tight to the salary cap as they have ever been, but finding a way to give Moore a one-year deal would make sense on several levels.

First is the obvious insurance he would bring.

Second would be the value he would add in training camp alone. Given what he would have earned and what he’s about to make, Moore is likely to bring a prove-it attitude to whatever team signs him.

It not only would bring spirited competition to Chuck Burks cornerback room, it will give receivers such as Andrei Iosivas and rookie Colbie Young a chance to go against a savvy, veteran cornerback every day in camp.

Moore fell off some in 2025 after not meshing with former Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo’s scheme in Indianapolis, but he still was playing a solid level in 2023 and 2024.

But he’s still a strong run defender, with an 84.4 grade from Pro Football Focus. And he’s only a couple of months older than Davis, who currently sits as the backup nickel on the depth chart.

There are likely to be multiple teams interested in Moore, and the Bengals aren’t likely to enter a bidding war given their history and their current cap situation.

But the opportunity to fight for a starting spot and the enticement of Joe Burrow, the Bengals offense and postseason possibilities should be attractive to Moore when looking for his new home.

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