Pro Football Rumors
After joining the Colts as a third-round pick last year, former Minnesota cornerback Justin Walley made a run at a starting job at the beginning of training camp. An early August ACL tear dashed Walley’s hopes, though, and wound up shelving him for his entire rookie year. Ten months later, a healthy Walley is the favorite to take over as the Colts’ top slot corner, according to Mike Chappell of FOX 59.
Whether Walley or someone else starts, a changing of the guard will take place after the Colts released longtime slot stalwart Kenny Moore in early May. As a ninth-year man in 2025, Moore finished second in an injury-riddled Colts cornerback group in defensive snap share (61.48%), trailing only Mekhi Blackmon. While taking the field for 715 snaps (578 as a slot CB), Moore held opposing quarterbacks to an 87.8 passer rating on 71 targets. Pro Football Focus’ ranked his overall performance a respectable 37th out of 115 qualifiers.
Although Moore remained a solid contributor last year, the Colts granted his request for a release after they could not find a trade partner to take on his nonguaranteed $9.49MM salary. With Moore still locked in at his position last summer, Walley vied for a starting boundary corner gig opposite Charvarius Ward. Between Ward and Sauce Gardner, whom the Colts acquired in a blockbuster trade with the Jets last November, those spots are filled heading into this season. That leaves Moore’s vacated seat as Walley’s best path to playing time in his second year.
As was the case with Moore, Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson asked for a trade earlier in the offseason. However, nobody has lined up for an injury-prone, inaccurate passer who has fallen well short of expectations since the Colts took him fourth overall in the 2023 draft. A deal may become more realistic in early August, though, as Chappell notes an acquiring team would not have to pay Richardson’s $4.24 million roster bonus by then. The Colts will foot the bill if Richardson is still on their roster on the third day of training camp. That is likely to be the case, as there is no financial incentive to release Richardson.
Cutting Richardson would cost the Colts around $10.82MM in cap space. On the other hand, a trade would save Indianapolis $5.39MM at the cost of $5.43MM in dead money. If the Colts line up a trade partner after paying his bonus, an acquiring club would only be on the hook for Richardson’s $1.145MM base salary. With that in mind, a change of scenery remains something to watch for in Richardson’s case. Otherwise, if Richardson stays put, he could compete with Riley Leonard and Easton Stick for the right to back up starter Daniel Jones.
