FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – The New England Patriots placed LB Dane Fletcher on injured reserve and released WR Britt Davis today.

Fletcher, 25, is a veteran of two NFL seasons with New England after originally joining the team as a rookie free agent out of Montana State in 2010. The 6-foot-2, 245-pounder has played in 23 regular season games with five starts and has accumulated 52 total tackles, 2.0 sacks, one interception, two passes defensed, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. He has also registered 16 special teams tackles. Fletcher has played in four postseason games and has nine total tackles in those games.

Last season, Fletcher played in 10 games with five starts in the regular season and recorded 37 total tackles, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and five special teams tackles. He played in all three postseason games, including Super Bowl XLVI, compiling seven total tackles.

Davis, 26, is a first-year player who originally joined the New England practice squad on Jan. 4, 2012. The 6-foot-3, 215-pounder began the 2011 season with Denver but was released prior to the start of the regular season. Davis originally entered the NFL as a rookie free agent with the New York Jets out of Northern Illinois in 2009 and spent the majority of his first season on the Jets' practice squad. After being released by the Jets during training camp in 2010, he spent part of the year on the Denver practice squad before being signed to the 53-man roster. Davis saw action in three games but did not record a reception.