Carolina Panthers Place Center Ryan Kalil on IR

The Carolina Panthers have placed starting center Ryan Kalil on injured reserve because of a foot injury, according to the team's official Twitter account on Wednesday:

"

Panthers have placed center Ryan Kalil on IR with a foot injury. more to come.

— Carolina Panthers (@Panthers) October 10, 2012"

The three-time Pro Bowl center was drafted in the second round of the 2007 NFL Draft by Carolina, and has started 68 games for the Panthers over the last six seasons. Kalil has started at center for the Panthers in each of the team's regular season games since Week 12 of the 2008 season.

Veteran center Geoff Hangartner will likely take over at center for the Panthers in their next matchup with the Dallas Cowboys in Week 7 following their bye this weekend.

Hangartner is an eight-year NFL veteran and listed No. 2 on Carolina's depth chart. He has 75 career NFL regular starts at center. 

News of Kalil being placed on IR comes at a terrible time for the struggling Panthers, who have lost three straight games. Carolina is 1-4 this season and is scoring just 18.4 points per game, seventh worst in the NFL.

The Panthers will miss Kalil's veteran leadership on the offensive line. The former USC Trojan was a force in the running game and an athletic pass blocker for Ron Rivera's squad. 

Kalil made news in the offseason for purchasing a full-page ad in The Charlotte Observer. The ad prematurely crowned the Panthers champions of Super Bowl XLVII, but it was more a symbol of hope for Carolina's fans than anything else.

Keep it right here for more information on Kalil's injury and status as it becomes available. 

Follow Bleacher Report Featured Columnist Patrick Clarke on Twitter.