Titans Take a Leap of Faith with Farley

The 2021 first-round pick's ability to get -- and stay -- healthy and to learn as he does this offseason will be a major issue.

NASHVILLE – When the Tennessee Titans cut starting cornerback Jackrabbit Jenkins earlier this offseason, the plan of succession was a clear one.

Caleb Farley would fill the spot.

Franchise officials certainly hope things go that smoothly, anyway, with the 2021 first-round pick stepping right into the role the team envisioned for him. But Farley’s offseason promises to be one of the more important Titans’ storylines – considering the relatively high number of injuries combined with an undeniable shortage of snaps in recent years.

The Titans got just a brief glimpse of Farley during his rookie season.

He was on the field briefly in the team’s opener and then missed the next three games with a shoulder injury. Farley returned in Week 5 against Jacksonville, and then made his first start the following week against Buffalo. That’s when Farley tore his ACL and went on injured reserve for the rest of the season.

All told, Farley played just 60 defensive snaps in 2021.

“I thought (he) was coming along,” coach Mike Vrabel said earlier this offseason. “The potential is just really high, and nobody likes to sit there and talk and deal in potential.

“So again, he’s another one of those players we hope can not only develop and heal himself, but he can also study in the offseason. The concepts – the difference between man and zone, the difference between Cover 2 and Cover 4 – all these different things we’re asking him to do. That’s hard.

“I think a lot of that progress has to be taken when he’s out there practicing. But from a mental standpoint, if we can get him to work mentally as he recovers physically, it will help his development.”

The ACL surgery was the second for Farley in his football career, and he’s also undergone a pair of back surgeries.

Will the combination of those setbacks impact the immense athletic potential of the 6-foot-2, 197-pounder who intercepted six passes and totaled 19 passes defensed in two seasons at Virginia Tech?

Speaking of his college career, Farley played a combined 23 games for the Hokies during the 2018 and 2019 seasons. He opted out of the 2020 season because of COVID-19 concerns. That means he has had only those 60 game snaps – college or pro – since his last game at Virginia Tech on Nov. 23, 2019.

It’s another reason this offseason will be so significant for Farley, mentally and physically.

“It’s super important (for Farley),” safety Kevin Byard said. “I know, by coming in and working out … he’s been here every day. He’s been here working. He’s been studying with (secondary coach Anthony Midget) and the coaches and things like that.

“I’m obviously going to be excited when he’s able to clear (medically) to be able to get out on the field and get those reps in. That’s the main thing when you talk about with a guy who’s had some injury issues the last couple of years.

“It’s just those valuable reps that you miss, whether it’s in practice or in a game. The more reps he gets, the more comfortable he’ll get, the more his confidence continues to build. Like I said, I’m excited for him.”

The Titans do have some experienced depth on the roster at cornerback in Buster Skrine and Chris Jackson. It’s also worth noting that they reportedly have had at least two cornerback prospects – Tennessee’s Alontae Taylor and Houston’s Marcus Jones – among their official 30 visits leading up to the draft.

If all goes according to plan, of course, Farley is the man as the starting cornerback across from Kristian Fulton, who became a starter in 2021 after injuries limited his experience as a rookie.

But he does have significant challenges ahead during a very important offseason.