The Green Bay Packers have had an active offseason, and one of the moves made was acquiring linebacker Zaire Franklin. Franklin has long been considered a trade target by general manager Brian Gutekunst. When it became apparent that Quay Walker was going to leave in free agency, he pulled the trigger, sending defensive tackle Colby Wooden to the Indianapolis Colts in one of their most notable moves of the spring.
While Franklin will have a big role on this year’s team, he may not be the only former Colt to make his way to Green Bay. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Colts “mutually have agreed to seek a trade and a new home” for cornerback Kenny Moore II.
The news is one way for the Packers to solve their cornerback issues and also has the endorsement of Franklin, who posted a picture of himself with his former teammate on his X account on Friday morning. But while Franklin may be knocking on Gutekunst’s door to get a deal done, it may not be enough to get Moore to Green Bay.
Packers Face Risky Decision as Kenny Moore Trade Buzz Builds
The benefits of adding Moore would be obvious. The Packers' cornerback position isn’t in a terrible place with Keisean Nixon, Carrington Valentine, and Javon Bullard in starting roles. But their performance didn’t give the Packers a shutdown secondary as Nixon and Valentine both struggled at times during a five-game losing streak to end the season.
If anything, Moore would give them another solid player to plug into the secondary. According to Pro Football Focus, Moore allowed 43 catches for 540 yards and a touchdown with an interception and three pass breakups on 66 targets last season. He also committed a career-high six penalties (two declined), but has been a steady starter throughout his career with an average overall grade of 68.8 over nine seasons.
While Franklin may be bullish on reuniting with his teammate after a few months, there are some obstacles the Packers would face. The first is that Green Bay has seven picks and does not have a first-round pick in the 2026 or 2027 draft after acquiring Micah Parsons last summer. Although the Packers are more than happy to have an elite pass-rusher, it leaves them a thin pool of resources to give the Colts in a potential trade.
There’s also the matter that Moore needs a new contract. Entering the final year of his three-year, $30 million extension signed in 2024, Moore’s market value of $5.6 million, via Spotrac, isn’t a price that would break the bank. But when combining it with draft capital, it’s a risky investment in a player who will turn 31 during the preseason.
The final piece is the ripple effect it would cause in the Packers' secondary. Nixon has been vocal about his desire to be a CB1, and while his performance hasn’t validated that, he could feel slighted seeing a legitimate starting cornerback brought in. A new contract could also throw fuel on the fire with Nixon entering the last year of his deal, and could ultimately lead him to ask for a trade if he feels like the Packers aren’t committed to him for the long haul.
With draft picks, millions of dollars, and a potential rift in the locker room at stake, it may be in the Packers' best interests to steer clear. But for a team looking to reclaim its contender status next season, it could be the type of all-in move Green Bay needs to improve its secondary this fall.