Veteran linebacker Marty Moore has left New England after signing a two-year contract with the Cleveland Browns.
Moore came to the Patriots as the last draft pick of the 1994 draft and has been a key contributor on special teams for the past six seasons. Though most of his time on defense was as a backup, Moore was the first "Mr. Irrelevant" to start in his NFL debut when he replaced an injured Todd Collins in the season-opener in 1994.
Last season the Kentucky product was second on the team with 12 special teams tackles. He played in 15 games, had nine tackles and forced one fumble. In his six seasons, Moore played in 93 games for the Patriots, and he missed just three games during his time in New England.
In other news, the Patriots had wide receiver Leslie Shepherd in for a visit Thursday. The six-year veteran was with Cleveland in 1999. Former Patriots linebacker Ron Merkerson, a fifth-round pick in 1998, was signed by the New Orleans Saints.
