GREEN BAY, Wis. – The ankle injury that landed Ty Montgomery on season-ending injured reserve will require surgery.

The Green Bay Packers rookie receiver will undergo the procedure next week, his agent told ESPN.com on Tuesday – one day after Montgomery was placed on IR. Agent Damarius Bilbo said his client visited noted foot specialist Dr. Robert Anderson in Charlotte, and Anderson recommended surgery to clean up cartilage damage.

Bilbo said the high ankle sprain that Montgomery sustained on Oct. 18 against the San Diego Chargers had healed but the cartilage damage needed to be repaired.

“It’s nothing major,” Bilbo said.

However, it explains why Montgomery had so much trouble returning from his original injury. Twice since he was hurt in Week 6, he tried to come back only to experience setbacks in practice that prevented him from getting back on the game field.

Last week, Montgomery’s frustration boiled over when he said he was “fed up with the process” of trying to return only to experience another setback. At that point, Montgomery said he was scheduled to undergo further tests and treatments.

“We went through the process, trying everything leading up to this point, just didn’t get where it needed to get to,” Packers coach Mike McCarthy said Monday. “And this is why the decision was made. Specifics of his injury, really those are questions Ty should answer. But it’s unfortunate, just the way the young man started the season.”

Montgomery, a third-round pick from Stanford, was one of the early standouts in training camp, and his role increased after Jordy Nelson’s season-ending knee injury on Aug. 23. He also opened the season as the Packers’ primary kickoff returner.

But his once-promising season ended with only 15 catches for 136 yards and two touchdowns in just six games. On seven kickoff returns, he averaged 31.1 yards per return.

Montgomery is not expected to have any lingering issues from the surgery that would limit him next season, however, it’s too soon to determine whether he will be ready to participate when the offseason program begins in April.

Tight end Andrew Quarless, who was on the temporary injured reserve list, was activated Monday to take Montgomery's spot on the 53-man roster.

It leaves the Packers with just five receivers on the roster. However, they also have two receivers, Ed Williams and Jamel Johnson, on their 10-man practice squad. Montgomery had been inactive for the last eight games.