If the inner cable is corroded inside the housing, yes, it could tighten up over time. Another possibility is a kinked cable inside the cable housing.

A way out their possibility is that the derailer isn’t clamped to the seat tube tightly enough. Look at how the outer plate on the derailer aligns with the chain rings. It should be parallel. Check to see if you can move the front derailer by hand…i.e. spin it on the seat tube. If it moves, you’ll need to tighten the clamp (after properly aligning the derailer). This is very uncommon, however. Clamps are usually tight enough to keep the derailer from moving.