The Tennessee Titans made 16 roster moves on Monday as they prepare to submit their initial 53-man roster by Tuesday's deadline. One of the more notable cuts was rookie undrafted defensive end Desmond Evans. The Titans waived Evans before he ever played a regular-season snap.
Evans joined the Titans as a UDFA out of North Carolina following the 2025 NFL Draft. Coming out of Lee County high school, Evans was tabbed as the state's No. 1 prospect as a five-star recruit. He was the nation's top-ranked defensive end, and the nation's second-ranked player overall, according to ESPN.
Evans never quite reached his potential for the Tar Heels, however. He appeared in 55 career contests over five campaigns (2020-24), registering 124 tackles, 20.5 tackles for loss, and nine sacks. Now, the Titans have waived him during roster cut-down days.
Titans waive promising DE Desmond Evans during roster cut-down day
Evans was just one of two pass-rushing EDGEs waived or released by the Titans on Monday. The other was veteran journeyman Joe Gaziano. Evans' inability to make it to Tuesday's cut-down deadline day indicates the team was disappointed by his performance in training camp, and throughout the preseason.
Evans appeared in all three exhibition contests for the Titans, totaling 33 snaps. The speedy, lengthy pass rusher failed to record a single pressure, however. Pro Football Focus assigned him an overall defensive grade of 27.7. The lightbulb just never came on for Evans.
General manager Mike Borgonzi possesses the top priority on the waiver wire. A number of Titans who make the initial 53-man roster could eventually be sacrificed for better players who are waived elsewhere. Borgonzi must search for veteran pass-rush help, among other necessities.
Evans proved incapable of providing the Titans with the pass-rushing boost they needed this offseason. He was one of the more disappointing UDFAs in camp this year.