Former Louisville WR Dez Fitzpatrick Signs Reserve/Future Contract with Steelers

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - After spending his first two seasons with the Tennessee Titans, former Louisville wide receiver Dez Fitzpatrick is on the move. Following the end of the regular season, the Pittsburgh Steelers announced Wednesday that they had signed Fitzpatrick to a reserve/future contract. The terms of the deal were not disclosed.

In the NFL, reserve/future contracts are typically signed soon after the end of the regular season, and are for players who were not on any active rosters at the end of the previous season. Essentially, it's for players that organizations want to guarantee a spot on the 90-man offseason roster for at the start of the league new year in March.

The 6-foot-2, 208-pound receiver was originally taken in the fourth round of the 2021 NFL Draft by the Titans, with Tennessee actually trading away their No. 126 pick, No. 166 pick and No. 232 pick to the Carolina Panthers in order to take him with the No. 109 pick.

But once training camp started, Fitzpatrick struggled mightily. He had issues with drops all throughout the preseason, even to the point where Titans head coach Mike Vrabel publicly called him out. He was eventually waived on the 53-man roster deadline and signed to the practice squad.

While the Southfield, Mich. native spent most of the 2021 season on Tennessee's practice squad, he was elevated tot he Titans' active roster for four games. He tallied five catches on eight targets for 49 yards, including a 19-yard touchdown in Week 11 vs. Houston.

This season, Fitzpatrick again spent most of his time in Nashville on the practice squad. He made just one appearance during the 2022 season, coming in Week Five at Washington. He played just five offensive snaps and logged no stats.

During his final year with Louisville in 2020, Fitzpatrick led the team in receiving yards with 833 and yards per catch at 19.37, was second in receptions with 43, trailing only Tutu Atwell's 46. He also finished with three receiving touchdowns, resulting in being named a Second Team All-ACC selection.

Fitzpatrick left the Cardinals as one of the top receivers in program history, and perhaps even one of the most underrated. His 21 career touchdown receptions is fifth in school history, and his 2,512 career receiving yards are sixth.

(Photo of Dez Fitzpatrick, Herb Miller: Kim Klement - USA TODAY Sports)

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