Panthers Place Jonathon Brooks on Injured Reserve

The Carolina Panthers placed running back Jonathon Brooks on injured reserve Wednesday after he suffered a groin injury, and he is expected to undergo surgery for a core-muscle injury. An unnamed person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press that Brooks will miss at least six weeks and is expected to return this season. The team has not announced a recovery timeline. The roster move opened a spot that Carolina filled by promoting safety Isaiah Simmons from its practice squad to the active roster. Linebacker Maema Njongmeta took Simmons’s place on the practice squad, according to the team’s roster announcement. Brooks left Carolina’s September 20 win over the Atlanta Falcons with the injury. Coach Dave Canales said Monday that the team was awaiting MRI results. The Panthers listed the injury as a groin issue when announcing his placement on injured reserve; the surgery information and minimum absence were reported by people familiar with the matter, not included in the team announcement. The six-week estimate does not establish a return date, and Carolina has not confirmed when Brooks will be able to play again.