Colts rebuffed trades for Ryan Kelly, Kenny Moore II this offseason, GM Chris Ballard says

PHOENIX — Barring a shocking development, Ryan Kelly and Kenny Moore II aren’t going anywhere.

Not this season.

The Colts fielded trade requests on both of the former Pro Bowlers, but general manager Chris Ballard said the team ultimately decided to hold on to two players who have been key parts of the locker room in Indianapolis for a long time.

“We had some calls on them, but at the end of the day, they’re good football players for us,” Ballard said. “And they’re good people. … When you’ve got a good football player that’s a great person and a good fit, it makes it hard to move away from those guys.”

Trading either player would have given Indianapolis significant salary cap relief, although the Colts currently have roughly $20 million in space available, placing them among the NFL’s top 10 at this point.

Kelly, who has made three Pro Bowls in his seven seasons in Indianapolis, would have saved Indianapolis $7.875 million in cap space. The 29-year-old center, like most of the Colts offensive line, failed to play up to expectations in 2022, allowing four sacks and struggling at times to control the point of attack in the running game.

Moore II’s case was even more complicated.

Frustrated with the final two years of the four-year extension he signed in 2020 and coming off his first Pro Bowl nod in 2021, Moore II did not participate in the team’s organized activities in an effort to renegotiate his contract, although he did not hold out from the team’s mandatory minicamp or training camp.

Indianapolis held firm, and once the season began, Moore II was unable to replicate his previous numbers in Gus Bradley’s system.

For the first time in five years as a Colts starter, Moore II did not record an interception, broke up just four passes and allowed opponents to compile a 106.8 passer rating against him, according to Sports Info Solutions. Moore II also missed the final five games of the season with an ankle injury.

Trading the fan favorite would have produced $8.166 million in cap space, but it would also have left the Indianapolis defense without an experienced cornerback after the team’s decision to trade Stephon Gilmore to the Cowboys for a fifth-round pick.

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From the sounds of it, the time for other teams to blow the Colts away with an offer for either player has passed.

Ballard’s counting on them to be part of the roster this season.

“They’re here, and look, they’re both great Colts,” Ballard said. “We’re glad they’re here.”

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Colts rebuffed trades for Ryan Kelly, Kenny Moore II this offseason