Moe Clears Waivers, to IR

After being released by the Patriots on Friday because of a torn Achilles tendon, receiver T.J. Moe cleared waivers this afternoon and has been moved to injured reserve. He will not count towards New England's 90 man roster cap, but will still get to remain with the team.

The injury is certainly unfortunate, as Moe seemed to be a prime candidate to be the next player to come into training camp and surprise. He is incredibly athletic with tremendous quickness, posting a 2013 Combine best 6.53 3-cone drill and 3.96 20 yard shuttle. And while he was no guarantee to make the final roster and likely seemed primed for a spot on the practice squad, the Patriots were clearly high on Moe, as evidenced by his $30,000 guaranteed signing bonus (the most out of any undrafted free agent on the team).

While you never want to see any player injured for any reason, having Moe spend the year on IR actually works out fairly well for the Patriots. As long as his rehab goes smoothly and he is able to get his heel back to 100%, he will now have the benefit of spending a full year in the Patriots system where he can learn the playbook, acclimate himself to the world of professional football, and get himself as ready as possible for next year. Plus, he now no longer runs the risk of being snapped up by another team had he impressed in preseason and been subjected to waivers before becoming practice squad eligible. Odds are that Moe wouldn't have seen the field much this year anyway, and so moving him to IR in 2013 could ultimately be a blessing in disguise for both sides.

Here's wishing him the best for his rehab.