CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The Carolina Panthers have signed 2021 first-round pick Caleb Farley to their 53-man roster.
Farley, 26, was signed to Carolina's practice squad Oct. 1 to begin rebuilding a career that was sidelined by an ACL injury during his rookie season with the Tennessee Titans and a disk injury that required surgery in 2022.
The 22nd pick of the 2021 draft has been elevated to the 53-man roster the past three games. He played a season-high 23 snaps in a 20-17 victory over the New York Giants in Munich, Germany, before the team's bye week.
The Panthers also placed tight end Ian Thomas on injured reserve on Monday.
The Panthers (3-7) were out of practice squad elevations, so the move was based on the way Farley has played and what others have been saying about him, making it an anticipated step.
"You could see why he was drafted in the first round, the athleticism that he showed, the way he can flip his hips, change directions, the way he transitions, the way he can run,'' general manager Dan Morgan said of Farley's workout. "He was really impressive.
"He's had a lot of bad luck. I hope he's happy here.''
Farley was a high school phenom at quarterback at Maiden High, about an hour from Charlotte. He moved into his childhood home in Hickory, North Carolina, after joining the Panthers and makes the hour commute.
He says living there makes him feel closer to his parents. His mom died from breast cancer in 2018 and his father was killed in a gas leak explosion in Farley's Mooresville, North Carolina, home in 2023.
"My brother had a townhouse in Belmont, which is a closer drive,'' Farley recently told ESPN as he described his daily commute that has become therapeutic. "But I mean, as you can see, there's so much work to be done here. ... It just feels nice to be back here. I'm comfortable here.''