For the Cleveland Browns, the offseason has been successful so far. Cleveland has made strides when it comes to fortifying its offensive line by way of the trade and free agency markets, and the 2026 NFL Draft looks to have been fruitful in that aspect. Cleveland may very well have improved its receiving room in the draft as well, and that has fans at least cautiously optimistic about what’s to come on offense in 2026.
Defensively, the Browns should be far better off, though. There are impactful players at each area of the defense for Cleveland, a group which often kept the Browns in games they had little to no business being in due to offensive issues in 2025. The defense will again be led by Myles Garrett, Carson Schwesinger and Denzel Ward, while rookie safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren could have the makings of a big-time contributor.
It would be sensible for the Browns to add a cornerback prior to training camp, as they did not draft one and also lost free agent Martin Emerson Jr. to the New Orleans Saints in free agency. With that in mind, it was not all that shocking to see Cleveland mentioned as a possible candidate to target veteran Kenny Moore II via trade.
Moore and Indianapolis mutually agreed that they'd try to find a trade partner for him, per a report from Adam Schefter of ESPN. A trade prior to June 1 would save the Colts $7 million in cap space, per Schefter.
Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report tabbed the Browns and San Francisco 49ers as teams that could pursue Moore. Knox believes the price could be as marginal as sixth-round pick next year.
"Moore will turn 31 in August but played reasonably well in 2025, allowing an opposing passer rating of 87.8 in coverage. He'd be a sensible target for teams that failed to add a corner early in the draft."
Kenny Moore II is the kind of move the Browns should already be making
Moore didn't necessarily have a banner year in 2025, which shouldn’t be ignored. But as Kevin Patra of NFL.com noted, Moore didn’t seemingly always see eye to eye with new defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo. Regardless, the 2021 Pro Bowler Moore has historically been one of the league’s most capable nickel corners over the course of his NFL tenure, and he surely made his presence felt throughout his Colts career.
Moore could provide Cleveland with more stability in the slot than Myles Harden, who is still young and has a ways to go in his development. But in the same light, having Moore in the fold could help Harden over time, too.
As a former undrafted player originally signed by the New England Patriots, Moore could establish himself relatively quickly as a leader and culture piece for Todd Monken and his staff with the Browns. Moore has made his mark in the league over his time with the Colts, and young defensive players could look to him as a positive example, alongside Ward, Grant Delpit, and company.
Cleveland has a still-premier corner in Ward, and Tyson Campbell is a quality perimeter corner with size. But Moore could make plenty of sense as more of a slot corner who has largely gotten it done for several years, and he could feasibly help Cleveland generate more turnovers.Â
Moore is now 30 and will be entering Year 10 of his career. At this stage, he may not be a player that factors into the defense for multiple years, but for the coming season, he could provide a boost for Cleveland’s secondary. His ability to cover at nickel, tackle in space, and blitz at times could make a difference.Â
It will be intriguing to see if GM Andrew Berry and the Browns take up Knox's suggestion on potentially going after Moore.
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