The Panthers have placed right tackle Jeff Otah on season-ending injured reserve with a left knee injury.
Selected with the 19th overall pick of the 2009 draft out of Pittsburgh, the 6-foot-6, 335-pound Otah started 12 games as a rookie, missing four games in the middle of the season with an ankle injury. After starting the first 13 games of the 2009 season, Otah injured his knee in a Week 14 game against the Patriots and was placed on injured reserve.
Otah underwent knee surgery and missed the entire 2010 season.
Then, Otah started the season-opener in 2011, but missed Week two with a concussion and last week’s contest against the Falcons with a back injury.
Otah is now the fourth Panthers offensive lineman to land on injured reserve, joining Geoff Schwartz, Garry Williams, and 2011 sixth-round pick Zack Williams. Otah is signed through the 2012 season, where he’s scheduled to earn a base salary of $1.076 million.
Veteran guard Reggie Wells has been re-signed to replace Otah on the 53-man roster. Wells was with the Panthers for a week in September.