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Caleb Farley

Panthers Place TE Ian Thomas On IR; LB Amaré Barno Returns To Practice

November 18th, 2024 at 7:52pm CST by Ben Levine

With the Panthers coming off their bye week, the front office made a series of moves today. Most notably, the team placed tight end Ian Thomas on injured reserve. The team also signed cornerback Caleb Farley to the active roster.

Thomas suffered a calf injury during the team’s Week 10 win in Germany. The tight end will now be sidelined for at least the next four games, but there’s still a chance he could appear in a handful of December contests if he requires only a minimum stint on IR. Thomas also missed a chunk of games to begin the year as he nursed a calf injury.

Thanks in part to his absences, the veteran has been limited to only three catches this season. This performance came on the heels of a 2023 campaign where Thomas hauled in only five receptions. The former fourth-round pick did have a moderate offensive role between 2018 and 2022, with Thomas averaging 22 receptions for 200 yards per season.

Elsewhere on the roster, Farley will now have a secure role on the active roster after having been elevated three times from the practice squad. A former first-round pick by the Titans, Farley has seen time on 29 defensive snaps during his first season in Carolina. He’ll continue to play a depth role behind Jaycee Horn, Mike Jackson, and Dane Jackson.

The Panthers are also getting close to welcoming back some linebacker depth, as Amaré Barno returned to practice today. The organization will now have 21 days to activate the LB to the active roster. The 2022 sixth-round pick tore his ACL during last year’s Christmas Eve game, and there’s a chance his recovery won’t even span an entire year. After getting into nine games as a rookie, Barno appeared in 15 games in 2023, finishing with 21 tackles while splitting time between defense and special teams.

Minor NFL Transactions: 11/2/24

November 2nd, 2024 at 7:30pm CST by Ely Allen

Today’s minor NFL moves including standard gameday practice squad elevations for Sunday’s slate of games:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

New Orleans Saints

Philadelphia Eagles

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

Panthers Place S Nick Scott On IR

October 26th, 2024 at 4:44pm CST by Ely Allen

Injuries continue to mar the Panthers’ 2024 campaign, particularly on defense. The latest hamstringing of the collective unit comes as Carolina places safety Nick Scott on injured reserve for an actual hamstring injury, per team writer Darin Gantt.

Scott had been starting at safety for the Panthers since Week 4 after taking over for an injured Jordan Fuller, whom he now joins on IR. Scott was a big free agent signing for the Bengals defense two offseasons ago after playing his first full season as a starter in the final year of his rookie contract with the Rams. Unfortunately, after 10 starts in Cincinnati to start the year, Scott found himself coming off the bench for the remainder of the season.

This offseason, Scott found another opportunity, signing with a Panthers defense that finished 29th in yards allowed last year despite allowing the third-fewest passing yards and tying for the fourth-fewest passing touchdowns allowed. With Vonn Bell leaving for Cincinnati in the offseason, Scott found himself competing with his former Los Angeles teammate, Fuller, for the starting job. Fuller won the job to open the season, before ceding it to Scott due to injury.

Scott joins seven others on IR, including veteran defenders Fuller, Anthony Brown, Derrick Brown, and Shaq Thompson. Three other players remain on the non-football injury and physically unable to perform lists, as well. This also doesn’t include the 16 other players on Carolina’s injury report not currently on an injured list.

Scott’s placement on IR left two open spots on the active roster. To fill those slots, the Panthers activated safety Sam Franklin from IR and signed practice squad safety Russ Yeast to a 53-man roster contract. Franklin, a special teams captain for Carolina, has yet to make his 2024 debut due to a broken foot that he suffered in training camp. He’ll get that opportunity this weekend. Yeast, yet another former Rams safety, will come up to help fill the role left empty by his former Los Angeles teammates.

Additionally, the Panthers announced that cornerback Caleb Farley and quarterback Jack Plummer will be called up as standard gameday practice squad elevations for this weekend.

Panthers Sign CB Caleb Farley

October 1st, 2024 at 5:49pm CST by Adam La Rose

Caleb Farley‘s time in Tennessee did not go as planned, but he has lined up a new NFL opportunity. The former first-round corner is signing with the Panthers, veteran insider Jordan Schultz reports. The deal is now official, per a team announcement.

Schultz notes, to little surprise, this will be a practice squad agreement. Farley is expected to soon find himself on Carolina’s active roster, though, as he seeks to post a healthy stretch and rebuild his value. The 25-year-old struggled with a multitude of injuries during his college and NFL careers, including a pair of ACL tears and three back surgeries. The Titans made a predictable move in declining his 2025 fifth-year option, but they also waived him ahead of roster cutdowns.

That move was followed by a Patriots workout, although no deal materialized. Farley visited the Panthers shortly before this agreement, as noted by KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson. The Virginia Tech product missed the entire 2023 season after playing only 12 total games across his first two seasons in the league. He was held without an interception, and his coverage statistics left plenty of room for improvement. Carolina could offer Farley a chance to put together a string of healthy games played while developing into at least a depth contributor in the secondary.

Tennessee took on a $4.29MM dead money charge by moving on from Farley in the offseason. This Panthers deal will no doubt check in at a lesser cost, which will be necessary given the team’s financial situation. Carolina entered Tuesday with only $571K in cap space, the lowest figure in the league. This flier carries a degree of upside for the 1-3 outfit, though.

In other roster moves, the Panthers signed Chandler Wooten from the practice squad to the active roster. The former UDFA has 17 appearances to his name, all with Carolina. Wooten will look to help fill the void created by fellow linebacker Shaq Thompson‘s Achilles tear. Cornerback Tariq Castro-Fields was waived from the 53-man roster, and he could be retained on the practice squad if he clears.

AFC East Notes: Reddick, Jets, Corley, Barmore, Patriots, Godchaux, Farley, Bills

September 3rd, 2024 at 9:15pm CST by Sam Robinson

The 49ers and Cowboys ended their holdouts recently, but the Jets‘ impasse persists. Robert Saleh has not made any recent contact with defensive end Haason Reddick. The fourth-year Jets HC confirmed he has not spoken to the team’s holdout edge rusher since before training camp. As one source informed veteran reporter Josina Anderson, “nothing has changed” in this standoff. Reddick is on the verge of missing out on an $838K came check. The trade acquisition has already cost himself more than $2MM in nonwaivable fines thanks to this holdout.

Having expected the Jets to revisit extension talks only to see the team balk at doing so, Reddick has not been seen in the building since his introductory news conference April 1. Reddick has requested a trade, and rumblings about him extending the holdout into the season have surfaced. The Jets, who have been linked to being open to sweetening Reddick’s Eagles-constructed deal rather than extending him in advance, are certainly short on time to integrate him into their defense before the 49ers opener.

Here is the latest from the AFC East:

  • Malachi Corley competed for the Jets’ slot receiver role in training camp, but the rookie third-rounder might be trending toward healthy-scratch status to begin his career. Xavier Gipson is expected to be the Jets’ slot receiver, and the New York Post’s Brian Costello does not see a path for Corley to be on the 48-man gameday roster Monday. Viewing the Western Kentucky alum as a long way away from being an offensive regular, Costello notes the rookie’s lack of a special teams role hurts his chances of suiting up early.
  • The Jets also created some cap space recently, adjusting Quincy Williams and Tyler Conklin‘s deals. The move created $8MM in cap space for the team, ESPN.com’s Field Yates tweets. These moves will inflate the Jets’ cap-space total past $18MM.
  • While Christian Barmore is on the Patriots‘ reserve/NFI list, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport confirms the team will continue to pay him his full salary. Considering Barmore is dealing with a blood clot issue, the Pats not paying him would have generated extensive backlash. Barmore signed a four-year, $84MM extension this offseason and already collected an $18MM signing bonus. Common with extensions, Barmore’s base salary is low ($1.82MM) in Year 1.
  • The Pats giving Barmore the $21MM-per-year extension affected Matt Judon‘s New England outlook, and SI.com’s Albert Breer notes it changed the equation for Davon Godchaux as well. Godchaux’s push for a raise intensified after the Pats paid Barmore. The veteran nose tackle held in during minicamp and expressed a desire for a new deal to open training camp. Paying numerous Bill Belichick-era pieces, New England’s Eliot Wolf-led front office agreed to terms with Godchaux on a two-year, $16.5MM deal soon after.
  • Caleb Farley struggled to stay healthy with the Titans and has not seen game action since November 2022. The 2021 first-round pick, whom the Titans waived last week, also missed camp time with a hamstring injury. The malady-prone cornerback auditioned for the Patriots on Tuesday, Yates tweets. Farley, 25, has two ACL tears and three back surgeries on his medical sheet since college.
  • The Bills also completed some minor restructures recently, with Yates noting the team adjusting DaQuan Jones and A.J. Epenesa‘s deals. Both D-linemen re-signed with Buffalo this offseason. The moves created $2.78MM in cap space.
  • After the Vikings cut running back/kick returner Kene Nwangwu, the Saints made a waiver claim but also moved on with a failed physical designation, the Jets checked in on him. Nwangwu visited the Jets on Monday, per KTSP’s Darren Wolfson. Nwangwu has three career kick-return TDs on his resume, each coming from 2021-22.

Titans Release T Geron Christian, Reduce Roster To 53

August 27th, 2024 at 8:46pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here is how the Titans trimmed their offseason roster to the regular-season limit:

Released:

Waived:

Waived/injured:

Placed on IR:

Placed on reserve/PUP list:

The Titans cut a player they acquired in an offseason trade. Watson played for new O-line coach Bill Callahan in Cleveland, but Tennessee could not find room for the former seventh-round pick. Watson must pass through waivers before a practice squad invite can be extended. Christian will head straight to free agency as a vested veteran. The former Washington and Houston starter did not make Tennessee’s roster as a swing option. Christian (25 career starts) finished last season as the Browns’ left tackle under Callahan, as injuries ravaged Cleveland’s O-line. With Christian also playing for Callahan in Washington, he could be a player to monitor for a veteran practice squad slot.

Once a Titans slot receiver hopeful, Philips is off the roster with an injury designation. Philips saw shoulder and hamstring trouble derail his route to Tennessee’s starting lineup as a rookie, and he returned for nine games in 2023. Tennessee made some key additions to its receiving corps this offseason, signing Calvin Ridley and Tyler Boyd to join DeAndre Hopkins and former first-rounder Treylon Burks. Another hamstring issue limited Philips ahead of this season.

Campbell suffered a torn ACL, while McLendon also did not receive a return designation. That will put the second-year player out of the mix for the 2024 Titans.

Titans To Waive CB Caleb Farley

August 27th, 2024 at 11:12am CST by Sam Robinson

Unable to stay healthy during his first three-plus seasons in the NFL, Caleb Farley has seen the Titans move on from both the coach and GM that drafted him. After another injury, the veteran cornerback will be moved off Tennessee’s roster.

The Titans are waiving Farley today, ESPN’s Adams Schefter tweets. The 2021 first-round pick has two ACL tears and significant back issues on his medical sheet, and he ran into hamstring trouble during training camp.

Jon Robinson identified Farley for Mike Vrabel’s defense, doing so despite the Virginia Tech product having suffered an ACL tear while in college. While Farley managed to land first-round money, he also entered the NFL after undergoing two back surgeries. Farley ended up needing a third while in Tennessee, with that issue ending his 2022 season early. The Titans had already benched Farley earlier that year.

The back injury that landed Farley on IR (and back onto the operating table) in 2022 prevented him from playing in 2023 as well. With Ran Carthon and new HC Brian Callahan having no ties to the fourth-year defender, it is not exactly surprising the team is moving on. Farley only played in 12 Titans games during his three-season run.

The Titans declined Farley’s fifth-year option in May, but his rookie contract was guaranteed. Tennessee will eat $4.29MM in dead money from this cut, providing an illustration of how little Farley was able to contribute on his rookie deal. New regimes are often less concerned with dead cap, however, and this one will cut its losses.

Titans CB Caleb Farley Facing Multi-Week Absence

August 8th, 2024 at 5:09pm CST by Adam La Rose

Injuries have plagued Caleb Farley‘s career to date, and his availability for the start of the 2024 season is now in question. The former first-round Titans corner is dealing with a hamstring injury, head coach Brian Callahan said on Thursday.

Farley was limited to only three games in his rookie campaign and another nine in 2022. The 25-year-old missed last season altogether while recovering from back surgery, adding further to his time spent on the sidelines. Callahan said this latest setback will keep Farley on the mend for “a few weeks,” and questions will be raised as a result regarding his readiness for Week 1.

The Virginia Tech alum had an intriguing college career, but the risk incurred by the Titans in selecting him has not paid off so far. Farley started only one game in each of his healthy seasons, recording an interception both years. He was competing for a starting gig during training camp, but today’s news means he will likely not be able to participate in the remainder of the offseason.

Tennessee returns Roger McCreary at the cornerback spot, and the team made a pair of notable additions at that position this offseason. L’Jarius Sneed was acquired via trade with the Chiefs and subsequently extended on a four-year, $76.4MM pact. The team also signed Chidobe Awuzie, a familiar face for Callahan given his previous time with the Bengals. Awuzie is a veteran of 74 starts across his time in Cincinnati and Dallas.

To little surprise, the Titans declined Farley’s 2025 fifth-year option this spring. As a result, he enters this campaign as a pending free agent with plenty riding on his performance in 2024. Farley should be expected to suit up at some point in the fall barring a setback, but this update marks another unwanted development from a health perspective.

Titans To Decline CB Caleb Farley’s Fifth-Year Option

May 2nd, 2024 at 2:02pm CST by Adam La Rose

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.

2025 NFL Fifth-Year Option Tracker

April 24th, 2024 at 10:57pm CST by Sam Robinson

NFL teams have until May 2 to officially pick up fifth-year options on 2021 first-rounders. The 2020 CBA revamped the option structure and made them fully guaranteed, rather than guaranteed for injury only. Meanwhile, fifth-year option salaries are now determined by a blend of the player’s position, initial draft placement and performance- and usage-based benchmarks:

  • Two-time Pro Bowlers (excluding alternates) will earn the same as their position’s franchise tag
  • One-time Pro Bowlers will earn the equivalent of the transition tag
  • Players who achieve any of the following will receive the average of the third-20th-highest salaries at their position:
    • At least a 75% snap rate in two of their first three seasons
    • A 75% snap average across all three seasons
    • At least 50% in each of first three seasons
  • Players who do not hit any of those benchmarks will receive the average of the third-25th top salaries at their position

With the deadline looming, we will use the space below to track all the option decisions from around the league:

  1. QB Trevor Lawrence, Jaguars ($25.66MM): Exercised
  2. QB Zach Wilson, Broncos* ($22.41MM): Declined
  3. QB Trey Lance, Cowboys** ($22.41MM): Declined
  4. TE Kyle Pitts, Falcons ($10.88MM): Exercised
  5. WR Ja’Marr Chase, Bengals ($21.82MM): Exercised
  6. WR Jaylen Waddle, Dolphins ($15.59MM): Exercised
  7. T Penei Sewell, Lions ($19MM): Extended through 2029
  8. CB Jaycee Horn, Panthers ($12.47MM): Exercised
  9. CB Patrick Surtain, Broncos ($19.82MM): Exercised
  10. WR DeVonta Smith, Eagles ($15.59MM): Extended through 2028
  11. QB Justin Fields, Steelers*** ($25.66MM): Declined
  12. DE Micah Parsons, Cowboys ($21.32MM): Exercised
  13. T Rashawn Slater, Chargers ($19MM): Exercised
  14. OL Alijah Vera-Tucker, Jets ($13.31MM): Exercised
  15. QB Mac Jones, Jaguars**** ($25.66MM): Declined
  16. LB Zaven Collins, Cardinals ($13.25MM): Declined
  17. T Alex Leatherwood, Raiders: N/A
  18. LB Jaelan Phillips, Dolphins ($13.3MM): Exercised
  19. LB Jamin Davis, Commanders ($14.48MM): Declined
  20. WR Kadarius Toney, Chiefs***** ($14.35MM): Declined
  21. DE Kwity Paye, Colts ($13.4MM): Exercised
  22. CB Caleb Farley, Titans ($12.47MM): Declined
  23. T Christian Darrisaw, Vikings ($16MM): Exercised
  24. RB Najee Harris, Steelers ($6.79MM): Declined
  25. RB Travis Etienne, Jaguars ($6.14MM): Exercised
  26. CB Greg Newsome, Browns ($13.38MM): To be exercised
  27. WR Rashod Bateman, Ravens ($14.35MM): N/A; extended through 2026
  28. DE Payton Turner, Saints ($13.39MM): Declined
  29. CB Eric Stokes, Packers ($12.47MM): Declined
  30. DE Greg Rousseau, Bills ($13.39MM): Exercised
  31. LB Odafe Oweh, Ravens ($13.25MM): Exercised
  32. LB Joe Tryon-Shoyinka, Buccaneers ($13.25MM): Declined

* = Jets traded Wilson on April 22, 2024
** = 49ers traded Lance on August 25, 2023
*** = Bears traded Fields on March 16, 2024
**** = Patriots traded Jones on March 10, 2024
***** = Giants traded Toney on October 27, 2022

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