Today marks the deadline on fifth-year option decisions, and the Titans are among the teams which had yet to make on call on their 2021 first-rounder. In the case of cornerback Caleb Farley, Tennessee will pass on the 2025 option, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports. 
[RELATED: Fifth-Year Option Tracker]
Farley entered the NFL with injury concerns, but his production in college (six interceptions, 19 pass deflections across the 2018 and ’19 seasons) nevertheless made him one of the more attractive defensive prospects in the class. So far at the pro level, the Virginia Tech product has been limited to just 12 contests; he missed the 2023 season in its entirety.
For that reason, today’s decision comes as little surprise. Picking up Farley’s option would have locked the Titans into a fully guaranteed 2025 salary of $12.47MM. Given his missed time, that commitment would have carried considerable risk. Instead, the 25-year-old will now enter the 2024 campaign knowing it represents his walk year. Farley has started only a pair of games to date, so attaining a first-team role will be a critical first step to establishing his value.
Tennessee has been active in drafting at the CB spot in recent years, selecting Kristian Fulton in the second round in 2020 before adding Farley to the mix. Fulton departed in free agency this offseason, leaving 2021 third-rounder Elijah Molden and 2022 second-rounder Roger McCreary to join Farley as in-house options at the position. Of course, the Titans have been busy in adding to their secondary recently, in part due to the shortcomings of their drafted players.
Tennessee added Chidobe Awuzie in free agency before – following a lengthy negotiation period – trading for Chiefs standout L’Jarius Sneed and subsequently extending him. Those veterans will be counted on as starters, meaning Farley will have a tall order in terms of earning a sizable role on defense even if he can remain healthy next season. Still, he possesses notable upside given his age and college pedigree, and a step forward in his development during the 2024 campaign will help his free agent stock considerably. As things stand now, though, the Titans are planning for a CB room without him in the near future.
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