Former Raiders standout UDFA Sterling Moore waived by Patriots

It was not ten months ago we all watched as undrafted rookie cornerback Sterling Moore was the hero of the Patriots AFC Championship win which sent them to the Super Bowl. Now, in true Patriot fashion, he has been waived. This according to an ESPN.com report.

The Patriots and Ravens played in a hotly contested AFC Championship. The savior at the end of the game was none other than Raiders' former undrafted free agent, Sterling Moore, who batted down a sure Raven touchdown that would have given the Ravens the victory.

That play was one of many highlights for Sterling Moore late last season and in the playoffs. The rookie corner had been a dynamic addition to the Patriots' secondary.

Moore's performance to send the Patriots to Indianapolis was just the height of his heroics. He ended the Patriots' regular season with a win when he intercepted the Bills' Ryan Fitzpatrick twice - one he returned for a touchdown. Not bad for an unheralded, undrafted rookie out of Southern Methodist.

It has been an up and down year for this Moore. It began with he and his namesake, Denarius Moore, battling it out in Raiders training camp. The product of Deer Valley High School east of Oakland played so well it appeared he would realize his dream of wearing the Silver and Black.

Moore, by any account, had a great camp and preseason with the Raiders this year. He stood out among the Raider corners and shone a light on the poor play of the two rookies from the 2010 season. It was thought at the time that the only thing that could keep Sterling off the regular season roster was if the team insisted on keeping Walter McFadden and Jeremy Ware whom the team chose late in the 2010 draft. But McFadden and Ware were not on the final roster and despite that fact, Moore was not either. He was cut in favor of... Joe Porter?

Even though Moore did not make the final roster for the Raiders, he made it past waivers and was placed on the practice squad. Then just a month later, the team signed speedy cornerback castoff Ron Parker to the practice squad and released Sterling Moore. Two weeks later Joe Porter was cut and two weeks after that Parker was cut as well.

In the meantime, the New England Patriots signed Sterling and called him up to the regular season roster. Moore was active for the week six game for the Patriots and was released. At that moment, the Raiders had a chance to get Moore back if they chose to do so. They didn't. The Patriots signed him to their practice squad and called him up to the active roster again for their week 11 contest.

Now suddenly the Raiders have a shot to get him back if they so choose to do so. It is an almost entirely new staff now so unless Al Saunders steps up and mentions what kind of troubles Sterling was giving his receivers in last year's camp, any interest will have to come from his performance in the playoffs.

That being said, there will likely be a few suitors for his services due to the national stage in which he had his standout performance. Hopefully the Raiders at least put in a claim for him as he would undoubtedly love to return to fulfill his childhood dream of taking the field as an Oakland Raider. Not to mention he would be a solid addition to this Raiders secondary.