49ers have inside track to land Pro Bowl cornerback that was granted his release, but there are big risks involved
The 49ers could stand to add some competition at nickleback and one notable player in Kenny Moore just got released. Would it be wise to have him come in and challenge Upton Stout for the job?
The San Francisco 49ers, along with every team, is always looking to improve its roster and intriguing option just came available in Kenny Moore, a now former nickelback for the Indianapolis Colts.
Moore asked his for release and the Colts granted his request on Thursday. Now, he’ll hit free agency with the goal of finding a new home.
Right off the bat, the 49ers make sense for Kenny Moore and there a few reasons why. There are also some big risks that would come with the move, so let’s go ahead and break it all down.
The 49ers and Kenny Moore make sense to an extent, but it’s probably best to avoid him
The Colts tried to find a trade partner for Moore, but nothing ever came about. ESPN’s Stephen Holder reported a while back that scheme fit in Lou Anarumo’s defense played a role in the trade situation. Meaning, it’s not like Moore and the Colts were on bad terms, or anything like that.
In fact, it’s quite the opposite. The Colts released Moore in a move of respect for the long-time Colt. Now, he gets to find a new team and go through an entire offseason, or most of the offseason, if he lands the right fit.
So, with all that being said, Moore immediately provides competition for Upton Stout at nickel. But does that really make sense for the 49ers and Kenny Moore, himself?
Kenny Moore’s career stats
Moore started off as an undrafted free agent in 2017 and eventually became one of the NFL’s best nickelbacks.
- Interceptions: 21
- Interceptions for TDs: 4
- Pass break-ups: 68
- Sacks: 11.5
- Forced Fumbles: 6
- Total tackles: 649
- Tackles for loss: 39
- Games played: 132
- Pro Bowls: 1
For instance, Moore is likely going to be looking for a starting role. Therefore, he’ll want to get as close as possible to that status in both play and pay. Upton Stout struggled early on in the season, but started to find his footing around Weeks 11-12 and showed a lot of promise.
In fact, Pro Football Focus listed him as the 49ers’ top breakout candidate for 2026 a couple of months ago. Sure, bringing in top competition like Moore is a very good thing for Stout, as it’ll force him to bring his A-game every practice.
But what if Moore loses out to Upton? Yes, the 49ers would have very good depth at nickel, but they’d also have a very expensive backup who may also be a bit unhappy with his role.
Moore’s age is a factor, as well. He turns 31 in August and hasn’t played a full season since 2021. Granted, he’s missed five games in a single season over that span. The fact he’s dealt with some nicks and bruises over the last couple of years still stands, though. The chances of those continuing, and getting worse, only increase as he gets older.
On the flip side, let’s say Moore beats out Stout. Now, the 49ers have a solid starter at nickel and a good backup, but one that’s not as expensive. That’s not guaranteed to happen, though, so the 49ers have to play this smart.
There’s also Moore’s connection with 49ers defensive assistant head coach Matt Eberflus. He coached Moore to some of his best years from 2018-2021 as DC of the Colts and could certainly fast track 49ers DC Raheem Morris when it comes to his game.
The risks, here, are slowing down the development of a promising player for an older, accomplished veteran who has a slight, but recent injury history. Personally, I’d roll the dice with Stout and hope it works out with him.
At the same time, though, the worst-case scenario for the 49ers in this situation isn’t a world-ender, by any means. It’ll be interesting to see if they pursue Moore now that he’s available.