Tennessee Titans waive 4th round draft choice but he might return

Well, it appears that, in the end, Dez Fitzpatrick didn’t do enough. The Tennessee Titans, after utilizing a fourth-round draft choice on the former Louisville Cardinals standout during the final day of the 2021 NFL Draft, released him on the final day of August as teams scrambled to get their roster trimmed down to the league-mandated 53-man version.

Fitzpatrick struggled to impress his coaches during training camp and caught three passes for 58 yards and a touchdown during the preseason’s final two games (he got on the field late and wasn’t targeted in the first), but there were questions about his work ethic and the effort that he was putting into his development.

This may not be the last that you see of the Tennessee Titans wide receiver.

Dez Fitzpatrick caught the Tennessee Titans’ attention after snagging 154 career receptions at the NCAA level that resulted in 2,589 yards and 21 career touchdowns, but he never rose to a level that led anyone to believe he would surpass what the team was getting from guys like Chester Rodgers, Mason Kinsey, or Cameron Batson.

Tennessee released Kinsey on Tuesday as well. They also, according to a report from The Draft Network’s Justin M, informed Marcus Johnson that he was making the roster as well. We’ve known for a while that Julio Jones, A.J. Brown, and Josh Reynolds were locks. Still, this is a move that’s surprising in some aspects and expected in others.

After about four months, the Titans say goodbye to a rookie that they had high hopes for, for now. Don’t be surprised if they decide to place him on the 16-man practice squad when and if he clears waivers.

That will give Fitzpatrick more time to develop. As Jon Robinson said during the Titans final preseason game, “sometimes it takes longer for some guys to develop than others”.