Rookie running back Kevin Faulk and defensive end Greg Spires were both placed on Injured Reserve, meaning the season is officially over for both.
Faulk suffered a fractured ankle in the loss the Colts on Sunday, while Spires injured his knee and hip during a team practice on Dec. 3. Their 53-man roster spots were filled by rookie linebacker Marc Megna and free agent cornerback Terry Billups.
Megna, a native of Fall River, has been on the Patriots practice squad since Sept. 7. He was originally picked in the sixth round of the 1999 draft by the New York Jets, who released him on Aug. 30. In his senior season at Richmond, Megna had 74 tackles and 13 sacks.
Billups originally signed with New England as a rookie free agent out of North Carolina in 1998. He was on the team's practice squad for less than two weeks before being released on Sept. 10 of that year. Billups also spent time with Miami and Dallas last year, and in 1999 he spent time with both the Cowboys and the Rhein Fire of the NFL Europe League.
New England also filled Megna's practice squad spot by signing free agent Kelly Malveaux, who had spent time on the San Francisco practice squad both this year and last. The Patriots signed him off the roster of the Rough Riders in the CFL.
