Falcons to put Reed on short-term injured-reserve list

Falcons linebacker Brooks Reed was told that he would placed on short-time injured reserve by the team on Sunday.

“He’s got to get healthy and then he’ll be ready to roll,” said Kenny Zuckerman, Reed’s agent with Priority Sports.

Reed will miss six games and can return after the eighth week in the season. The first game that he could play in would be against San Francisco on Nov. 8.

Kroy Biermann is listed behind Reed on the team’s depth chart. Last season’s starter at strongside linebacker Joplo Bartu is also on the roster.

The Falcons took a hit at that position when they released former linebacker Prince Shembo, who had been backing up Reed, after he was involved in an animal cruelty case.

Reed played sparingly in exhibition games against the Jets and Dolphins, after injuring the groin on Aug. 3.

Reed, the team’s biggest free agency pickup, sat out most of the offseason program with a groin injury.

Reed played four seasons with the Houston Texans. He was signed to a five-year, $22 million, with $9 million guaranteed.

The injury was originally announced as a hip strain, but Reed said it was a groin injury. He also said the groin injury suffered on Aug. 3 was unrelated to the groin injury he suffered over the offseason.