ThePhiladelphia Eagles didn't need to guess what they were getting when they added Kenny Moore. One of the top voices in the building has what we'd call 'insider access.' Nick Sirianni had already spent three years around the veteran defensive back during his time with the Indianapolis Colts.
That insight gave the Eagles' head coach a firsthand look at Moore's competitiveness, preparation, and versatility. That background became particularly valuable when Howie Roseman approached Sirianni about adding the former Pro Bowler.
Sirianni spoke with the media on Thursday. He explained that the decision wasn't based solely on what the Eagles saw on tape. They also leaned on the opinions of people who had worked with Moore in Indianapolis, and those evaluations
lined up.
"I think the world of Kenny Moore. He is a really good football player, really good person, great teammate. Being able to add him to our team is a big deal, and I’m pumped about that. I was able to spend three years with him, he was highly competitive [when I was] the offensive coordinator, not the head coach at that time. I could see the battles that he had with our receivers in different scenarios. I love his competitiveness. Him and [former Colts WR] Zach Pascal would go at it on a lot of block destruction things within practice — another former Eagle. When you get around guys like that, it’s a no brainer."
A "mo-brainer". That's pretty high praise. Moore is currently on the Eagles' practice squad, but everyone knows he's there to play a significant role.
When [Executive Vice President/General Manager] Howie [Roseman] came to me and asked me what I thought of the guy — Howie obviously watched the tape. I got to watch a little bit of the tape and then, ‘Hey, what do you think of the guy?’ Everybody said the same thing. I obviously have had some Indy guys here in the past and currently, and everyone’s report of what they said all matched up and it’s no surprise because everybody at his old place really thought the world of him because of who he is on a daily basis consistently."
The most interesting part may be where the evaluation came from. Sirianni wasn't simply relying on a three-game sample or an isolated recommendation. He watched Moore compete in practice, saw him against receivers, and then heard similar assessments from others who knew him well.
Kenny Moore's versatility could make the addition even more valuable
The Eagles aren't committing Moore to a specific position yet. Sirianni said Thursday that the defensive back's versatility could be particularly valuable while Philadelphia sorts out its secondary and determines where he fits best.
The value of this addition goes beyond Moore's résumé. Philadelphia now has a defensive back familiar to Sirianni, trusted by people who worked with him in Indianapolis, and versatile enough to give Vic Fangio another option in the secondary. That matters as the Eagles still figure out the best combinations behind their starters and injuries continue to shape the depth chart.
Now comes the part that matters more than the endorsement. Moore has to take what Sirianni already knows about him and prove it again in Philadelphia. The Eagles didn't bring him in simply because they liked what they saw on tape. They brought him in because the tape, the personal evaluations, and the firsthand experience all told the same story. If Moore's reputation follows him onto the field, Philadelphia may have added exactly the kind of versatile defensive piece it needs as the season moves forward.
This article originally appeared on Eagles Wire: Nick Sirianni explains why Kenny Moore made sense for Eagles defense
