Dez

Fitzpatrick

Fitzpatrick was one of several players let go by the Steelers to trim the roster down to the required 53 men by cut-down day. In addition to Fitzpatrick, the Steelers also released/waived TE Zach Gentry, TE Rodney Williams, CB Luq Barcoo, CB Chris Wilcox, DT Breiden Fehoko, DT Jonathan Williams, LB Nick Kwiatkoski, LB Quincy Roche, OL Ryan McCollum, RB Greg Bell, RB Xazavian Vallady, S Trenton Thompson, S Tre Norwood, WR Jordan Byrd, CB Lavert Hill, DL Manny Jones, LB Toby Ndukwe, OL Le’Raven Clark, OL William Dunkle, QB Tanner Morgan, RB Darius Hagans, S Jalen Elliott, and S Kenny Robinson.

The Steelers also signed DB Madre Harper, DB Kenny Robinson, and DB Chris Wilcox to futures contracts. Fitzpatrick was drafted by the Titans in the fourth round of the 2021 NFL Draft. The team ultimately cut him before the start of the season. He would eventually re-sign to the team’s practice squad and make five catches as a rookie. Fitzpatrick was with the team again in 2022 but did not record any receptions. He will look to crack Pittsburgh’s final roster this summer.

It’s the second time in two final cuts the Titans have waived their 2021 fourth-round pick. Fitzpatrick did eventually re-sign and catch five balls in 10 games last season. Old for a second-year pro, Fitzpatrick turns 25 in December. His NFL future is not looking particularly bright.

The 6-foot-2, 200-pounder had nine catches for 176 yards and two touchdowns in the Cardinals’ spring game. "(Fitzpatrick) has a had a great week,” Petrino said. “He’s taken some huge strides. ... He’s just a really good wide receiver. He understands how to run routes. He catches the ball with his hands. What I really like is how he runs after the catch. He broke some tackles today and took one down the sideline for a touchdown. He can catch the deep ball.” Heisman Trophy winner Lamar Jackson’s receiving corps got a makeover this offseason. James Quick and Jamari Staples moved on, so Jaylen Smith, Seth Dawkins, JaQuay Savage, Fitzpatrick and a host of others will benefit from the space Jackson’s otherworldly athleticism affords his teammates.

With Ryan Tannehill’s pass attempts down from 52 in Week 11 to 21 in New England, there was nothing for Fitzpatrick and the Titans’ C-team pass catchers to do as Tennessee got the run game back in good working order. We would expect more of the same when the Titans come off bye in Week 14 against the Jaguars, keeping Fitzpatrick off the re-draft radar.

Fitzpatrick caught a post on what looked to be Cover-3 with some brilliant eye-manipulation of the deep safety from Ryan Tannehill. It’s a nice feather in the cap for the rookie, but he was the target on two of Tannehill’s picks and hardly needs to be rostered outside of dynasty leagues.

The move is a bit of a head-scratcher as the Titans selected Fitzpatrick in the fourth round of the most recent draft to backfill their depleted receiving room. They even traded up with the Panthers to lock him in. Despite subbing out Corey Davis for Julio Jones, Tennessee was still in search of good depth options at wide receiver this offseason. With Titans coaches and beat writers alike noting throughout the summer that Fitzpatrick was struggling in practice, his absence from the final roster is more defensible. He will likely draw interest from multiple teams given his fourth-round pedigree. Fitzpatrick’s release paves the way for Josh Reynolds to start in three-receiver sets.

With A.J. Brown and Josh Reynolds ready to serve on the outside, 6-foot-2 Fitzpatrick could be a potential mismatch over the middle of the field. He began in the slot at Louisville before featuring on the boundary the past two seasons. Fitzpatrick’s trainer Reidel Anthony expects the slot to be where Fitzpatrick begins his career. “Dez is smart and able to recognize fast enough to get open,” Anthony reasoned. “He also has the patience not to rush his routes, just let it go to his breaking point then get in and out of his break. That will help him a lot as a slot at the next level.” GM Jon Robinson has praised Fitzpatrick’s ability to work in traffic. With the Titans’ receiver depth chart one of the thinnest in the league, Fitz’s fourth-round pedigree won’t be working against him as he fights for snaps.

Fitzpatrick (6'1/208) burst onto the scene with 45/699/9 as a 19-year-old redshirt freshman alongside former Louisville QB Lamar Jackson, finishing his four-year career with more yards per catch (16.8) than teammate Tutu Atwell (16.5) -- who was drafted by the Rams in the second round -- and becoming the sixth player in school history to reach 2,500 receiving yards. His leaner build and play strength are less than ideal against press coverage at the next level but Fitzpatrick offers 58th percentile athleticism with an elite wingspan (80 5/8") to compete at the highest catch point. Bryant could immediately find his way onto the field with A.J. Brown and Josh Reynolds potentially the only wideouts ahead of him on Tennessee’s depth chart. Brown’s target supremacy remains intact.

Fitzpatrick’s two times came in at 4.43 and 4.45. Though not special, those are pretty solid marks for someone who weighed in at nearly 6-foot-2 and 208 pounds. On film, Fitzpatrick proved himself to be a blazing outside receiver who can threaten down the field at any time. The question was always just whether or not he could finish plays by bringing in the catch reliably. That question remains, but at least Fitzpatrick confirmed that he is, indeed, a burner.