Cornerback Sterling Moore was front and center for two of the biggest plays of last season for the Patriots.
His hand was part of the reason why Lee Evans didn’t hold onto a pass in the end zone late in the fourth quarter of the AFC Championship Game. If Evans catches the ball, the Ravens go to the Super Bowl. Moore was also covering Mario Manningham near the sideline late in the fourth quarter of the Super Bowl when Manningham reeled in a pass from Eli Manning to set up the winning touchdown.
Unless the Patriots change course in the coming weeks, Moore won’t be reprising his act for them in this year’s postseason. The Patriots announced that they have cut Moore as part of a series of roster moves that included the earlier release of linebacker Bobby Carpenter. Linebacker Mike Rivera, who was with the Patriots earlier this year, and defensive back Derrick Martin, who was on that Giants team that beat the Patriots in the Super Bowl and spent the preseason with New England, were signed to the roster.
Moore’s departure could be a sign that the Patriots are getting healthier at safety, where Patrick Chung and Steve Gregory have both missed time. If they return after the bye, Devin McCourty would likely go back to corner and leave the team without an obvious role for Moore to fill.