New England Patriots: Eric Moore Cut, What It Means for Roster Bubble Players

The announcement that the New England Patriots had released defensive end Eric Moore was met with surprise and even some skepticism.

The defensive end had shown flashes of brilliance in the stretch run at the end of 2010, tallying a career-high 13 tackles, two sacks, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery.

He had played in the 4-3 primarily throughout his career, and the ability he had flashed last season in the 3-4 figured to fit right in as the team transitioned from the latter front to the former.

Such was not the case, though, and the Patriots move on with their current lot of defensive linemen. The worst news for Eric Moore is great news for several players who were on the bubble.

Guys like Mark Anderson, Mike Wright and Gerard Warren just saw their chances of making the roster increase. All were considered to be on the roster bubble, even if just marginally so. Injuries, inconsistent play, and an abundance of talent threatened the roster status of each.

With one talented defensive end out of the way, those guys are now in a better position to make the roster. 

What's more, the injury to Jermaine Cunningham likely isn't serious enough to warrant concern. If it were, the Patriots would likely have kept Moore as insurance.

Erik Frenz is the co-host of the PatsPropaganda and Frenz podcast. Follow Erik on Twitter @erikfrenz.