Panthers promote former Titans 1st round pick to active roster

The Carolina Panthers haven’t had a great 2024 season, but they are starting to show signs of growth lately. Carolina is 3-7 heading into Week 12 after their bye week, which is already a better record than they had in 2023. The Panthers add some reinforcements on defense by adding an earlier first-round pick.

The Panthers are signing Caleb Farley to their active roster, according to his agents Drew Rosenhaus and Robert Bailey via ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Farley is one previous first-round pick of the Titans, who have battled through injuries and more to get back into the NFL. He was previously on the team’s practice squad.

Farley has dealt with multiple injuries during his young NFL career, including one season-ending ACL injury in his rookie season. Now he has a chance to revive his career with his hometown team.

Panthers GM Dan Morgan is a big supporter of Farley.

“You could see why he was drafted in the first round, the athleticism he showed, the way he can turn his hips, change directions, the way he switches, the way he can run,” said Morgan on Farley’s initial training. “He was really impressive.”

“He’s had a lot of bad luck,” Morgan added of Farley. “I hope he’s happy.”

Cam Newton hits Panthers QB Bryce Young for not making a play from the pocket

The Panthers may be slowly on the rise, but there are still plenty of critics of QB Bryce Young.

Count former Panthers QB Cam Newton among them. Newton recently criticized Youngs apparent lack of comfort in the pocket as a trait that holds his game back.

“You have to step up in the pocket, don’t be a bad habit, it’s a bad habit, push in the pocket,” Newton said via his 4th & 1 podcast on Friday. “In his defense, coaching development helps to say what the standard is off your back foot, it helps with accuracy; it helps with so much, but through Bryce’s mind, he doesn’t trust that pocket.

“He’s going to keep backing up and he’s traumatic in there. So he’s not going to be in that position where it’s going to sink in because he hasn’t built that confidence yet. When you see the confidence, Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, the Bradys, oh man, I feel so good in there.”

Newton’s producer asked him if that’s a sign that Young is uncomfortable in the pocket.

“For sure, for sure. Can he play? Hell, but this goes back to development,” Newton continued. “Is the development plan in place for him in Carolina? Has he been developed properly?”

Young’s NFL career could be short-lived if he can’t learn to play from the pocket.

Next up for the Panthers is a Week 12 game against the Chiefs.