Panthers add former first-round NFL draft pick to active roster to start Week 12

Carolina returns to practice today after a week off and the team is bringing up more corner depth.

Tim Weaver | 7 Hours Ago

KANSAS CITY, MO - NOVEMBER 06: Caleb Farley #3 of the Tennessee Titans celebrates against the Kansas City Chiefs at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on November 6, 2022 in Kansas City, Missouri. / Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images)

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Carolina Panthers

The Carolina Panthers are back at the office today after a week off. The front office has already been busy this morning, calling up a former first-round NFL draft pick to boost their cornerback depth going into a huge game. According to a report by Adam Schefter at ESPN, the Panthers are signing practice squad cornerback Caleb Farley to the active roster.

Farley had been elevated from the practice squad three times this season, the maximum allowed for a player on the practice squad. So, in order to keep him around, Carolina had to sign him to the active roster. Thus far this season Farley has seen 52 snaps, 29 on defense and 23 on special teams. He has totaled four tackles. For what it's worth PFF has him graded out at a pretty-aveage 59.8 overall.

Looking ahead, it's unlikely that Farley will be cracking the starting lineup anytime soon, but there may be an opening if the Panthers continue to get poor results in the slot. While Mike Jackson and Jaycee Horn are holding it down on the boundaries, Carolina has not gotten quality play from a series of players at nickel.

Since cutting veteran Troy Hill, they have tried rookie Chau Smith-Wade, but he is currently the team's lowest graded starter on defense at 36.5 overall, including a 30.9 grade in coverage. Dane Jackson also put in time in the slot against the New York Giants but he didn't fare much better, earning a 39.9 grade for his efforts.

Farley is a boundary corner, but it might be worth a shot to see if he can put something better on film than what the Panthers have gotten at nickel so far. Otherwise, don't expect to see much of him on the field barring an injury to another corner.