According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, Indianapolis Colts longtime star cornerback Kenny Moore II will miss multiple weeks after suffering a calf injury against the Tennessee Titans in Week 3.
The bad news is that Kenny Moore II is instrumental to Indy’s success defensively. He’ll be sorely missed by defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo and Colts fans alike as his versatility in the backend allows the defense to be even more multiple than normal. The good news, however, is that it seems like Moore II will miss the Injured Reserve altogether, given that it is “Not a major injury.”
Moore II is fresh off a game in which he notched his fourth career pick-six while simultaneously securing his sixth INT against the Titans in seventeen games played. Not only is he coming off a great game, but he’s also had a strong start overall. It’s tough to see him go down at all, but at least reports suggest that he’s dodged a bullet.
As far as his replacement goes, general manager Chris Ballard went out and nabbed Anarumo’s version of Kenny Moore II while in Cincinnati — veteran cornerback Mike Hilton.
Throughout this past offseason, Hilton had been waiting in the wings for the perfect opportunity to present itself. The 31-year-old’s contract with the Bengals was up, and his defensive coordinator had just been shoved out the door. Hilton has been awaiting that ideal scenario all summer long, and even visited Indianapolis for a workout back in late August. Fast-forward to a month later, and Hilton has been signed to Indy’s practice squad and is expected to be elevated for gameday.
This ideal replacement, while not on the same tier as Moore II, should serve as the perfect insurance while he works back from injury. Hilton is an accomplished veteran, logging 13 INTs and 66 TFLs across his 8 seasons in the NFL. In 2024, Hilton had 1 INT, 5 passes defended, and 12 TFLs in 10 games started. Clearly, there’s still some tread left on his tires, especially when you envision what reuniting him with Anarumo could do.
When in Cincinnati, Anarumo utilized Hilton in the exact same way that he’s used Kenny Moore II thus far. So while the same production may not be there, the drop-off in schematic understanding will be virtually nonexistent. There’s no way to shake the loss of Kenny Moore II as a positive, but at least the two best possible factors are playing out: it’s not a major injury, and his replacement won’t be a complete liability.
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