Tag: Dez Fitzpatrick

Ex-Titans WR Dez Fitzpatrick signs futures deal with Steelers

Former Titans draft pick Dez Fitzpatrick is headed to Pittsburgh.

Former Tennessee Titans wide receiver Dez Fitzpatrick has officially found a new home.

The Louisville product was among several others who signed a reserve/future deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers on Wednesday. This deal will give the young wideout the opportunity to compete for a roster spot this upcoming offseason.

Fitzpatrick is infamously known as one of former Titans general manager Jon Robinson’s biggest flops. Not only did he trade up to the top of the fourth round for the young wideout, but Robinson also passed on eventual star receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown, who was taken by the Detroit Lions a few selections later.

St. Brown went on to finish the year as Pro Football Focus’ second highest-graded wide receiver. Meanwhile, Fitzpatrick is already joining his second team in three years.

In total, the fourth-round wideout played in just five games over two seasons in Tennessee, tallying five catches for 49 yards and one touchdown.

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Titans did not re-sign 5 members of practice squad to futures deals

Dez Fitzpatrick was one of five players on the Titans’ final practice squad of 2022 to not get signed to a futures deal.

As they always do following the end of their season, the Tennessee Titans announced the signing of players to reserve/futures contracts, with more expected to come in the coming days.

So far, the Titans have inked 11 players to such deals, and all of those players were on the team’s practice squad at the end of the season.

Here’s the list, in case you missed it:

DT Curtis Brooks

CB Shyheim Carter

OL Zack Johnson

WR Mason Kinsey

OLB Zach McCloud

TE Thomas Odukoya

OLB Sam Okuayinonu

DL Jayden Peevy

WR Reggie Roberson

OL Andrew Rupcich

K Caleb Shudak

While those 11 members of Tennessee’s last version of the 2022 practice squad are sticking around on the team’s 90-man offseason roster, five others will not be, at least not for the moment.

The most notable name of the bunch is 2021 fourth-round pick and wide receiver, Dez Fitzpatrick, who has proven to be a disastrous pick. Here’s the rest.

Titans place Treylon Burks on IR, activate Monty Rice among 4 moves

Josh Gordon is not being elevated for the Titans’ Week 5 game after all.

The Tennessee Titans announced four transactions on Saturday ahead of their Week 5 game against the Washington Commanders.

The team announced it has placed wide receiver Treylon Burks on injured reserve, which means he will miss at least the next four games. Burks came down with a turf toe injury in Week 4.

On the bright side, linebacker Monty Rice has been activated from the PUP list after being designated to return earlier this week. He’s eligible to play in Week 5 against Washington.

Rice’s return is significant with Tennessee not having starting linebacker Zach Cunningham in the lineup due to an elbow injury. This will be the first game Rice plays since suffering an Achilles injury in Week 12 of last season.

The Titans are also adding a bit of temporary depth to their active roster at both wide receiver and linebacker, as the team will elevate wideout Dez Fitzpatrick and linebacker Joe Schobert for Week 5.

Fitzpatrick has yet to play in a game this season after failing to make the initial 53-man roster and being kept on the practice squad. Schobert made his Titans debut last week and forced a fumble in the win.

The biggest surprise here is no elevation for wide receiver Josh Gordon, who we assumed would be the guy Tennessee turns to with its lack of depth at the position on the active roster. Instead, it will be Fitzpatrick who gets the nod on Sunday.

Titans waiving 2021 fourth-round pick WR Dez Fitzpatrick

Dez Fitzpatrick has failed to make the Titans’ initial 53-man roster for the second straight year.

For the second year in a row, Tennessee Titans 2021 fourth-round pick and wide receiver Dez Fitzpatrick will not make the initial 53-man roster.

Per multiple reports, the Titans are waiving Fitzpatrick ahead of the 4p.m. ET 53-man roster deadline. Fitzpatrick will now head to waivers where teams can try to claim him if they wish.

Once Fitzpatrick clears waivers, he becomes a free agent. In that case, the Titans could reunite with him again via the practice squad, just like they did in 2021.

After failing to make the cut in his rookie season, Fitzpatrick caught on with the practice squad and finally got an opportunity to play in Week 10 after Tennessee’s receiving corps. was ravaged by injury.

While he did score once in his four games, Fitzpatrick totaled just five receptions for 49 yards, which wasn’t anywhere near the lift the Titans needed at the position.

The Titans raved about Fitzpatrick’s progress going into training camp, but the Louisville product did nothing to stand out in practice or during the preseason. We had a feeling he was in danger already, but a dropped touchdown catch in preseason Week 3 might have sealed his fate.

The amount of disappointment surrounding Fitzpatrick is only magnified by the fact that the Titans could have drafted Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown, who is one of the better young wideouts in the NFL after breaking out towards the end of 2021.

Titans’ winners and losers from preseason Week 3 victory

A look at the winners and losers from the Titans’ preseason finale.

The Tennessee Titans closed out their preseason on Saturday night with a 26-23 win over the Arizona Cardinals at Nissan Stadium in Nashville on Saturday night.

The contest was the final chance for those players on the bubble and competing for starting jobs to show their stuff, as the Titans will cut their roster down to the final 53 on Tuesday, Aug. 30.

But this might not be the end of the road for some players who get cut, as they could end up on the practice squad.

While there were several young players who shined on Saturday night, there were also others who fizzled and did not help their cause in making the roster.

Here’s a look at Tennessee’s biggest winners and losers from Saturday night.

Titans preseason: 6 non-rookies who need to show out in Week 1

A list of six Titans who need a strong showing in preseason Week 1, excluding rookies.

The Tennessee Titans embark on their first preseason game of the 2022 schedule, traveling to Baltimore on Thursday for a showdown against the Ravens.

The Titans went 2-1 in the preseason a year ago, topping the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Atlanta Falcons in lopsided affairs before dropping a close contest against the Chicago Bears.

While we don’t expect to see a lot of Tennessee’s starters, the first exhibition contest provides the opportunity for players that have not had a great training camp thus far to rebound in a live-game setting.

The team’s unofficial depth chart released earlier this week offered a glimpse of where players currently stand, and some of those players need to have a strong showing in the Titans’ first preseason contest.

Here’s a look at six players who fit the bill. We’ve excluded the team’s draft picks and undrafted free agents from the list, as it goes without being said that those players need to show out in order to grab a role or roster spot.

Watch: Titans’ Robert Woods mic’d up at training camp

Titans WR Robert Woods was mic’d up at a recent training camp practice.

Tennessee Titans wide receiver Robert Woods is having a strong training camp thus far and is showing no ill effects from the torn ACL he suffered during the 2021 campaign.

But Woods is also lending a helping hand to the team’s younger players, as fellow wideout Dez Fitzpatrick detailed recently.

“We added Bobby Trees — that’s what I call him,” Fitzpatrick told WKRN’s Kayla Anderson. “But that’s my guy, for sure. I ask him — he’s like my big brother — I ask him all the time, have his number, we text all the time so I’m kind of just always asking him, ‘what about this? what about that?'”

“He’s so smart, also,” Fitzpatrick continued. “He’s so detail-oriented, so whenever I ask a question he’s breaking it down. Even if I don’t get it, he’ll look at me and be like, ‘you get that?’ That’s like my big brother right now.”

Woods was mic’d up at a training camp practice recently, which gave us a look and listen at how he’s interacting with his younger teammates. Check out the clip below.

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Titans’ Robert Woods like a ‘big brother’ to Dez Fitzpatrick

Robert Woods has taken Dez Fitzpatrick under his wing.

When the Tennessee Titans traded for wide receiver Robert Woods, they weren’t just getting a good player, they were also getting a great teammate.

Look no further for proof than the countless teammates who have praised Woods over the years, and it hasn’t taken long for the veteran to make an impact on second-year wideout Dez Fitzpatrick.

The Louisville product had a glowing review of Woods, who he says is “like my big brother” and available to answer questions at any time, including via text messaging.

“We added Bobby Trees — that’s what I call him,” Fitzpatrick told WKRN’s Kayla Anderson. “But that’s my guy, for sure. I ask him — he’s like my big brother — I ask him all the time, have his number, we text all the time so I’m kind of just always asking him, ‘what about this? what about that?'”

Not only is Woods physically gifted, he’s also an intelligent player who pays attention to details, which is a big help to Fitzpatrick.

“He’s so smart, also,” Fitzpatrick added. “He’s so detail-oriented, so whenever I ask a question he’s breaking it down. Even if I don’t get it, he’ll look at me and be like, ‘you get that?’ That’s like my big brother right now.”

After a disappointing rookie campaign, Fitzpatrick has received praise for making progress from where he was early last season, and he even netted an offseason award from head coach Mike Vrabel.

While Fitzpatrick remains a total wild card ahead of 2022, he at least seems to be trending in the right direction. Having Woods around to help him will only improve his chances of being a contributor.

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Dez Fitzpatrick, Caleb Farley among Titans’ offseason award winners

Three of the Titans’ offseason award winners have a lot to prove in 2022.

On Wednesday, Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel announced the six players who were chosen for the team’s annual offseason awards.

According to Vrabel, the criteria for winning the awards are based on “effort, consistency and improvement” during the offseason program.

On offense, the winners were right tackle Dillon Radunz, wide receiver Dez Fitzpatrick and fullback Tory Carter. On defense, it was cornerback Caleb Farley, safety Amani Hooker and defensive lineman DeMarcus Walker.

Radunz, Fitzpatrick and Farley are three of the players on the team with the most to prove this year, so this is a good sign for their progress.

Radunz is competing for the right tackle job, but figures to have a leg-up for the role over rookie Nicholas Petit-Frere. Even with that being the case, Radunz still has to prove he’s a worthy starter in this league.

Farley is about to embark on his first season as a full-time starter, but the jury is still very much out on the 2021 first-round pick, especially after suffering a torn ACL last season, which only added to already existing concerns about Farley’s ability to stay healthy.

Fitzpatrick just securing a spot on the 53-man roster would be a win for him after he failed to do so during his rookie campaign. But he also needs to make an impact if he does make the final cut, which he wasn’t able to accomplish in 2021 despite Tennessee having a slew of injuries.

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As for Carter and Hooker, their spots on the roster are already secure. Now, both will be focusing on improving after very good 2021 seasons.

Carter was a game-changer as a lead blocker in Tennessee’s offense, and Hooker emerged as one of the better players at his position, forming an elite duo with fellow safety Kevin Byard.

Meanwhile, Walker is someone to watch along the defensive line. We believe he’ll make the cut and will provide depth upfront, and he can play outside linebacker in a pinch if need be.

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Titans’ Dez Fitzpatrick ‘expecting to have a big role’ in 2022

Dez Fitzpatrick says his lackluster rookie campaign with the Titans serves as motivation in 2022.

Dez Fitzpatrick is hoping that Year 2 goes smoother than Year 1, when the Tennessee Titans wide receiver was surprisingly cut just a couple of months after being taken in the fourth round of the 2021 NFL draft.

After a poor showing in training camp and preseason, Titans brass made a difficult — but necessary — roster decision.

Fitzpatrick cleared waivers and was assigned to the Titans’ practice squad. He might have remained there all season if not for the rash of injuries at the wide receiver position.

The Farmington Hills, MI native made it into four games, reeling in five catches on eight targets for 49 yards, and he tallied his first NFL touchdown in the Titans’ Week 11 loss to the Houston Texans.

After struggling in 2021, Fitzpatrick says his lackluster rookie campaign serves as motivation, and he says he’s expecting to have a big role in 2022.

“I had no idea what to expect my rookie year coming in,” Fitzpatrick said, via Jim Wyatt of Titans Online. “Now I have a year underneath my belt, and I kind of know what to expect, how things are run certain ways.

“(Last year provided me with) a lot of motivation going forward, from how things started, to how I was able to deal with it,” Fitzpatrick added. “I just continued to work my tail off. And I am excited for this year and expecting to have a big role – I am trying to.”

Fitzpatrick is one of the wide receivers at the team’s voluntary organized team activities (OTAs) this week and he’s focused on developing trust.

“I am just working my tail off to try and earn a role on this team, just building the trust with my coaches, my teammates and obviously the confidence level within myself; it starts there,” Fitzpatrick said. “So, that’s what I’m working on right now.”

Developing trust with quarterback Ryan Tannehill is a vital step toward getting more targets. With A.J. Brown and Julio Jones no longer in the picture, Fitzpatrick is looking for a piece of the pie.

Even before the Titans’ shocking trade of Brown at the 2022 NFL draft, Fitzpatrick traveled to Florida specifically to develop chemistry with Tannehill.

Along with fellow wide receiver Mason Kinsey, Fitzpatrick and Tannehill worked out together, running routes and catching balls.

Tannehill, who has a vested interest in Fitzpatrick’s development for his own success, spoke highly of the work that his wide receiver is putting in this offseason.

“Dez is working,” Tannehill said of Fitzpatrick on Tuesday. “He came down to Florida and threw with me for a few days, we got some good work down there. I’m excited to see the progress he has made. He made a tough catch today, coming across the middle, safety on his back, through the contact. It was just a great play, strength to finish the play and make the catch across the middle.

“As a quarterback, you trust the guy, tight window, defender on their back, you make the throw and he makes the play for you,” Tannehill continued. “That gives you a lot of confidence to be able to come back and throw into the tight windows and make the plays. Now it is all about consistency. Just coming out on a daily basis and dong it.”

Consistency is right; Fitzpatrick had a limited sample size to prove himself last year. He saw the most targets in Week 11, reeling in three receptions on six targets for 35 yards.

After recording one catch in Week 12 in New England, Fitzpatrick was inactive for the remainder of the season after Jones and Brown returned to the lineup.

In addition to Tannehill, Titans head coach Mike Vrabel was complimentary of Fitzpatrick following Day 2 of OTAs, stating that he can see growth, maturity, and improvement every day.

“(Last year provided me with) a lot of motivation going forward, from how things started, to how I was able to deal with it,” Fitzpatrick said, reflecting on his rookie campaign. “I just continued to work my tail off. And I am excited for this year and expecting to have a big role – I am trying to.”

With a good combination of size and speed, there is certainly potential for the 24-year-old wideout to carve out a role in 2022 if he makes the roster.

Ultimately, it will come down to execution and Fitzpatrick using the work that he has put in this offseason and applying it to live-game action.