Lance Moore Released by New Orleans Saints

Lance Moore’s tenure with the New Orleans Saints has reportedly come to an end.

The wide receiver made the announcement on Friday morning by thanking the fans in the Big Easy for their support via Twitter:

The Saints later confirmed the news:

ESPN's Adam Schefter also reported the news:

The decision to cut Moore seems to be a financial one, as NFL writer Brian McIntyre reported that this roster move saves the franchise $3.8 million in cash and $2.5 million in cap space:

The team cut ties with Moore relatively early in the offseason, considering it had until March 25 to release the 30-year-old before his roster bonus was activated.

There were reports, courtesy of Schefter, that the Saints were attempting to trade Moore as recently as Thursday, but it seems the team brass was not able to find a suitor for his service:

It’s not surprising, considering Moore missed three games with an injured wrist and rarely saw over 60 percent of New Orleans’ offensive snaps after returning, as per Katherine Terrell of The Times-Picayune.

Terrell also noted that Moore was surprised by the news that he was being shopped around: "It's news to you, it's news to me people," Moore tweeted Thursday. "Guess we wait n see. Appreciate the love and support from everyone tho."

Rookie receiver Kenny Stills by and large replaced the veteran in the team’s passing attack and finished the 2013 season with 641 yards and five touchdowns on 32 receptions, better statistics than the 37-catch, 457-yard, two-score season that Moore put up.

Bill Haber/Associated Press

Now that he’s on the open market, Steve Geller of WWL fears that Moore will defect to the NFC South rival Carolina Panthers, becoming another weapon for superstar quarterback Cam Newton:

Moore played eight seasons with the Saints, emerging as a legit star during the 2008 campaign. He hauled in 79 catches for 928 yards and 10 touchdowns that year and had his first 1,000-plus yard season in 2012.

The Toledo product served as a consistent contributor within the New Orleans offense up until the 2013 season, when his production declined significantly and saw him compile his lowest numbers since an injury-plagued 2009 campaign (14 catches, 153 yards, two touchdowns).

It shouldn’t take Moore long to catch on with a new team, especially if he shows he is fully healthy and still has something left in the tank.

While the wide receiver position is especially deep in the upcoming NFL draft, teams don’t always get a chance to add a player with Moore’s experience and consistent production.

The 5’9”, 190-pound wideout can definitely still be an asset in the league and should be making plays for another team as soon as the start of the 2014 campaign.