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How Can Kenny Moore Fit Into the Eagles’ Defense?
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- How Can Kenny Moore Fit Into the Eagles’ Defense?
Following the Philadelphia Eagles ' loss to the Chicago Bears , the front office immediately called for reinforcements, signing Kenny Moore to the active roster after he joined the practice squad a week earlier. The question now is how the veteran can fit into a secondary that desperately needs a spark.
Prior to signing with the Eagles, Moore spent the entirety of his nine-season career with the Indianapolis Colts , claimed by waivers by the franchise after going undrafted in 2017 out of Valdosta State. Moore has made a great career for himself, starting over 100 games and being named to the Pro Bowl in 2021.
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Nick Sirianni, who overlapped with Moore during his time as the Colts' offensive coordinator, had nothing but praise for his former player.
"I think the world of Kenny Moore; he is a really good football player, really good person, great teammate," Sirianni said. "Being able to add him to our team is a big deal, and I'm pumped about that."
The signing comes following a stretch of poor play from the back end of the defense, with starting safeties Drew Mukuba and, particularly, Marcus Epps struggling against both Tennessee and Chicago in run fits and pass coverage.
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Against the Bears, Epps missed two tackles and allowed a passer rating of 118.8 last night, while Michael Carter II , who split the safety duties, was perfect tackling and allowed a passer rating of 87.5. If the Eagles don't opt to make the one-for-one swap of Epps and Carter in the starting unit, Moore gives them another avenue to shake up the starting secondary.
Moore does not exactly solve the Eagles' questions at safety. According to Pro Football Focus, nearly 78% of Moore's NFL snaps have come in the slot, box, or along the defensive line, compared to 21.1% at outside cornerback and just 0.7% at safety.
Instead, Moore allows the Eagles to make a different change: play Moore in the slot and move Cooper DeJean to safety. This offseason, DeJean made the positional shift of playing safety when the Eagles are in base packages. Through three games, DeJean has struggled, credited with allowing two touchdowns after allowing none last season. Who knows if the balancing act of learning a new position has impacted his play at corner, but sliding him back full time could serve as both a reset for DeJean and an immediate patch to a hole that continues to leak weekly.
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However, if previous statements made by Vic Fangio hold true, that change may not be in the cards. When asked if he was considering moving DeJean to safety on a full-time basis, Fangio gave a blunt, direct answer: "No."
Only time will tell how Moore will be utilized on Philadelphia's defense, but he is far too talented a player, particularly with Sirianni in his corner, not to find his way onto the field and make an impact.
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Sep 30, 2026, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
