Patriots Should Kick Tires On Potential CB Trade

A former New England Patriots UDFA could be hitting the trade block soon.

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Indianapolis Colts and cornerback Kenny Moore II have mutually agreed to seek a trade for this season. Moore, who's entering the last year of his contract, has become one of the top slot corners in the NFL since coming into the league in 2017.

"It's all good. It's all love," Moore wrote in a text to ESPN's Stephen Holder after the news broke.

Moore originally signed an undrafted free agent contract with the Patriots out of Division II Valdosta State in 2017. He was very open and on the record about how he didn't like his time with New England and, despite a strong summer, was released as part of the team's final cuts.

"That was one of the low spots of my life," Moore told Go Long's Ty Dunne back in 2021. "Because that’s really when I felt like, I’m probably not built for the league. And having that feeling of ‘You’re not good enough.’ That’s a bad feeling. You feel like you don’t belong. I lost all of my joy and passion. I didn’t even want to play football. I didn’t want to go to work anymore. I was depressed. I was trying to fight my way out of it.

"I thought I was done with football," Moore continued. "My mental capacity and my mental space, I was just maxed out."

Since then, he's been with the Colts and has blossomed into a superstar. Over the past nine seasons, Moore recorded 649 tackles to go with 21 interceptions and six forced fumbles. He was named to the Pro Bowl back in 2021.

But last year was a struggle for him. He missed three games because of an Achilles strain and wasn't consistently in the starting lineup. Moore had just one interception, and with the Colts trading for Sauce Gardner at the deadline, it signaled a change may be coming.

Should New England Trade For Moore?

Aug 19, 2017; Houston, TX, USA; New England Patriots cornerback Kenny Moore (42) during the game against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

The Patriots secondary is very top-heavy at the moment. Christian Gonzalez has turned into one of the league's premier cornerbacks, while Carlton Davis and Marcus Jones helped round out the trio. Other than those three, there are question marks surrounding the depth of the position. Charles Woods was serviceable at times last season, and Marcellas Dial is coming off season-ending surgery to fix a torn ACL.

For Moore, it's safe to assume that his best playing days are behind him. But with the Patriots still in the thick of the NFL's top teams, it could be smart to try and add as many good players as possible. With 11 draft picks in the NFL Draft, the Patriots also have assets to move around if they want to land Moore.

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