NASHVILLE, Tenn. – One of the Titans' best players, knocked out of their Week 13 game in 2023, is expected to continue rehabbing his injury through the spring and likely beyond.
Ryan Stonehouse owned the third-best net punting average in the NFL at 44.7 yards in early Dec. when the Titans special teams broke down terribly against the Colts at Nissan Stadium. He had a punt blocked and returned for a touchdown and got crunched on the team's next punt, suffering a gruesome injury the details of which have been unknown.
I’ve learned he suffered torn anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments as well as a broken bone in his left, plant leg. That means his spring work will be continued rehab, not that teams generally do much live punting during OTAs.
Ty Zentner, who took over for Stonehouse in the Titans’ final five games, signed a two-year deal. So he is in place to cover for Stonehouse as long as needed.
Nine months is viewed as an average NFL ACL recovery time, which would take Stonehouse to the start of September. But his damage was more severe, and serious damage to a plant leg for a punter is an unusual injury for which the Titans may not have a great deal of comparison.
Sept. 8 is the opening Sunday of the NFL season.
Indications are another member of the Titans coming off of injury, Caleb Farley, is working in Phase One of organized team activities which started on April 8.
The Titans chose Farley 22nd overall out of Virginia Tech in the 2021 draft. He suffered a torn ACL his rookie year and was only playing special teams in 2022 when he suffered the third back injury of his football career. He spent last year on PUP though he did practice late in the season.
He’s played in just 12 games over his three seasons. If the Titans could get him healthy and get his mind 
right under new defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson, he could be in the mix behind starting outside cornerbacks L’Jarius Sneed and Chidobe Awuzie.
But his game was so far off before the back injury in 2022, it could be a lot for which to hope.
He is due $2.5 million guaranteed in the final year of his rookie contract with a $4.29 million cap number. He would cost the same on or off the roster.
Farley also dealt with a terrible personal tragedy last year. His father, Robert Farley, was killed when their home in Mooresville, NC was leveled in a natural gas explosion.
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