Caleb

Farley

The Panthers will take a shot at rehabilitating the tools that made Farley a first-round pick in 2021 while managing the long-term back injury that has plagued him for most of his NFL career. The Panthers have almost nothing in the cupboard at cornerback beyond Jaycee Horn, so it makes sense to take a low-risk stab on a player who is still just 25.

The star-crossed, always-injured 2021 first-rounder had missed most of training camp with a hamstring injury. Already going on 26, Farley has extremely limited NFL film. His big-league future looks bleak.

It’s yet another tough break for Farley, who entered camp on the roster bubble after dealing with multiple injuries over the first three years of his career. The Titans selected Farley with the No. 22 overall pick in the 2021 draft. He’s played in just 12 games due in part to a torn ACL suffered in 2021 and a back injury that held him out for the 2022 season. Farley did not see the field in 2023.

As ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler points out, this was to be expected. Farley has played in just 12 games since 2021 and missed all of 2023 with a back injury that has plagued him since 2022. He also suffered a torn ACL in 2021. We haven’t received much word on Farley’s status heading into 2024, but could hear something closer to training camp.

In addition to recovering from a back injury, Farley is also dealing with the tragic loss of his father in a house explosion that took place a few weeks ago. As Rapoport notes, “All the focus is on his more important personal situation, anyway.” A first-round pick from the 2021 draft, Farley has had a difficult start to his NFL career. A torn ACL ended his 2021 campaign, while a herniated disc in his back cut his 2022 short. He’ll likely return at some point in the season, but a timetable is difficult to predict at this point.

Farley is making progress in his recovery from December surgery. The 2021 first-round pick has undergone three back surgeries since college and suffered season-ending injuries in back-to-back years. The Titans’ draft capital in Farley makes it doubtful they’d move on after two lost seasons but Farley needs to stay healthy this preseason to secure a roster spot.

Farley reportedly underwent a Microdisectomy on his back Thursday after being diagnosed with a herniated disc in mid-November. The 2021 first-round draft pick has now suffered a season-ending injury in back-to-back seasons and has appeared in just 12 games since being drafted. Per Titans beat writer John Glennon, this is also the third back surgery Farley has had since the beginning of his college career. Farley has played on just 163 defensive snaps for his career and has served primarily on special teams and will likely be on the roster bubble to start next season.

His herniated disc will keep him out for at least the next four weeks -- we’d be stunned if this wasn’t a season-ending injury. Farley has unfortunately lost most of his career to date to injuries, as he’s played just 163 defensive snaps. The former first-rounder will try to get everything in line to rebound in 2023, but it will be hard to say that he’s definitively in Tennessee’s plans after two mostly lost years.

Farley will undergo additional tests to determine the severity of his injury, but it’s believed he may have suffered a herniated disc. This is a tough blow to Farley, who lost most of his 2021 season to a torn ACL. The 2021 first-round pick has played primarily on special teams this season and hasn’t recorded a defensive snap since Week 5 per PFF.

The Titans’ generous secondary could be even worse without their first round pick. Farley allowed seven receptions on nine targets for 75 yards in three games this season. Look for the Titans to make trade inquiries that could boost their fledgling coverage unit before the NFL’s November 2 trade deadline.