The Jacksonville Jaguars placed veteran defensive end Aaron Kampman on season-ending injured reserve Saturday, the team announced.
Kampman was ruled out for the season after tearing a knee ligament Thursday, leaving Jacksonville without its best pass rusher and a locker-room leader.
Kampman tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee during a non-contact drill. Tests Friday revealed the severity the injury, and Kampman is set for surgery at a later date.
"It's a shame because he's a special young man in a lot of different ways, not only on the field but in the locker room, in the community," Jaguars coach Jack Del Rio said Friday.
The Jaguars (4-4) signed Kampman to a four-year, $26 million contract in March to upgrade a defense that had a league-worst 14 sacks in 2009.
The team believed it was getting a bargain even though Kampman tore the ACL in his left knee last November while with the Green Bay Packers. He recovered in time to make an immediate impact this season and leads the Jaguars with four sacks and 30 quarterback pressures.
The Jaguars signed rookie defensive tackle Nate Collins from the New York Giants' practice squad Saturday to take Kampman's roster spot.
The 6-foot-2, 296-pound Collins spent the first nine weeks of the season on the Giants' practice squad after signing with them as an undrafted rookie.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
