Davis is third back lost for season
Associated Press
CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The Carolina Panthers placed Stephen Davis, their third running back to be lost for the season, on injured reserve Saturday.
Davis has played in just two games this season after arthroscopic surgery Sept. 17 to clean out torn cartilage from his knee. He's tried to get back on the field several times since, but his knee would swell after every practice.
He now joins backup running back DeShaun Foster (broken collarbone) and third-stringer Rod Smart (knee) on the injured list. In all, Carolina (1-7) has 11 players out for the year.
But they're hardest hit in the backfield, where rookie Joey Harris started last week after beginning the season on the practice squad. But he pulled his hamstring on Friday and is questionable for Sunday's game against San Francisco.
Carolina signed former 49ers running back Jamal Robertson on Saturday.
Davis, meanwhile, goes from the best season of his career to the worst.
He ran for a career-high 1,444 yards last season while leading the Panthers into the Super Bowl, but this season he has just 24 carries for 92 yards.
He played in the season-opener against Green Bay, had surgery four days later, and returned to play against Philadelphia. He has practiced sporadically since.
Robertson has appeared in 22 contests in three NFL seasons, all with San Francisco, and has totaled 207 yards rushing and one touchdown on 48 attempts. He saw action in seven games this year and led the 49ers with a 22.4-yard kickoff return average to go along with 71 yards rushing and 34 yards receiving before being waived on Nov. 2.
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