Panthers place TE Ian Thomas (calf) on IR

(Photo credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images)
The Carolina Panthers placed Ian Thomas on injured reserve Saturday and signed fellow tight end Feleipe Franks to the 53-man roster.

Thomas will miss the team's next four weeks due to a calf injury.

He has been sidelined by the injury since early in training camp. He previously had been ruled out for Carolina's season opener against the host New Orleans Saints.

Thomas, 28, had fi