The Dallas Cowboys continue working to reshape their defense ahead of the 2026 season, with the secondary drawing particular attention after major roster moves last year.
The team parted ways with All-Pro cornerback Trevon Diggs and his $97 million contract in 2025, then retained fellow All-Pro DaRon Bland on a $90 million deal. Bland has struggled to regain the form that once earned him elite recognition, leaving questions about the group’s reliability.
Behind Bland, the depth chart remains thin. A 2025 draft selection in Shavon Revel has yet to deliver consistent results, while free-agent addition Cobie Durant has shown mixed performances. That uncertainty has left the Cowboys looking for additional help at outside cornerback before the regular season begins.
Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox recently pointed to free-agent cornerback Kenny Moore as a potential solution and labeled the Cowboys a logical landing spot for the veteran.
Moore, a former Indianapolis Colts Pro Bowler, remains the top available free agent at the position after months on the open market.
“The Indianapolis Colts and Kenny Moore II agreed to mutually work on a trade early in the offseason,” Knox wrote.
“After weeks of failing to find a trade partner, the Colts opted to release the cornerback instead. Given the lack of trade interest, Moore can only expect modest offers at this point. A team that signs him to a team-friendly contract, however, could get a big bargain. Moore will turn 31 later this month and made just seven starts last season, but he also allowed an opposing passer rating of just 87.8 in coverage in 2025 … he’d be a good fit as a depth piece with the San Francisco 49ers. New 49ers defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus previously coached Moore as the Colts’ defensive coordinator.”
The Colts released Moore on May 7, creating roughly $7 million in salary-cap room. At 30 years old, Moore has spent his entire NFL career with Indianapolis and earned a Pro Bowl nod in 2021.
Standing 5-foot-9 and weighing 190 pounds, Moore arrived in the league as an undrafted free agent out of Valdosta State, where he earned two NCAA Division II All-American honors. He secured a full-time starting role in his second season and held it until 2025, when he eventually stepped aside for Justin Walley.
Both sides then explored a trade that never came together.
Over nine seasons with the Colts, Moore has recorded 649 tackles, 21 interceptions, 68 pass deflections and five defensive touchdowns across 132 games and 111 starts. His career earnings through the 2025 season totaled approximately $57.7 million.
While the Cowboys’ secondary has drawn scrutiny, the team may already possess a promising piece in first-round pick Caleb Downs, selected 11th overall in the 2026 draft. The Ohio State All-American safety is expected to begin his career at slot cornerback for Dallas and could develop into a versatile contributor.
NFL Draft analyst Lance Zierlein offered a detailed pre-draft assessment of Downs.
“Productive, high-effort safety with three years of starting experience in big games at Alabama and Ohio State,” Zierlein wrote. “Downs is an alpha who brings immense juice on each snap. He’s at his best when deployed near the line as a box safety or big nickel back. He’ll gamble a little bit as a run defender, but he makes more than enough disruptive plays near the line of scrimmage to make up for it. He’s fluent in man or zone over the first two levels and is rarely fooled by play-action or misdirection. While he’s quick to close and strike underneath, there are hints of caution that prevent him from making more plays on the football. Downs isn’t the biggest, fastest or most versatile player, but he consistently puts his stamp on games.”
Observers have described Downs as one of the most impactful players in the rookie class on a pound-for-pound basis. His ability to play near the line and handle multiple roles could help stabilize the Cowboys’ secondary even without further free-agent additions.
Moore’s experience and proven production in coverage make him an intriguing option for teams seeking affordable depth. For Dallas, adding a veteran presence alongside Bland and Downs might provide the secondary with greater flexibility as the season approaches.
Whether the Cowboys pursue Moore or another available corner remains uncertain, but the need for improvement at the position is clear. The franchise’s broader defensive overhaul will depend in part on how quickly the secondary finds consistency.
As training camp progresses and the final roster cuts near, decisions on free agents like Moore could still shape the Cowboys’ outlook for 2026. Fans and analysts will be watching closely to see if Dallas makes a move to address one of its remaining defensive questions.
