The Carolina Panthers placed starting left tackle Matt Kalil on injured reserve Sunday due to a right knee injury, the team announced.
Kalil recently had his knee scoped by Dr. James Andrews in Florida.
Panthers general manager Marty Hurney, through the team’s website, released a statement saying he’s been placed on IR to “give him time to fully rehab the knee.”
The team made the move now so that Kalil would be eligible to come back after eight games.
Carolina signed Kalil to a lucrative contract in free agency ahead of the 2017 season. He started all 16 games during the regular season last year, along with the team’s lone playoff game.