The Los Angeles Chargers have signed a former Pittsburgh Steelers wideout in Dez Fitzpatrick following their loss in the AFC wild card game.
He had spent much of the season on the Chargers practice squad, but has now been signed to a reserve/futures contract with the team.
Fitzpatrick had previously been on a reserve/futures deal with the Steelers after signing with the team in 2022, appearing on the active roster for one game during his time in Pittsburgh. Fitzpatrick did not record a stat as a member of the team, appearing in just three special teams snaps in the Steelers 30-6 loss to the Texans in Week 4 of the 2023 season.
Across 7 total games, Fitzpatrick recorded a stat in three of them, in Week 10, Week 11 and Week 12 with the Tennessee Titans in 2021. In Week 11, Fitzpatrick was able to catch three passes for 35 yards and a touchdown in the Titans 22-13 loss to the Texans, which is his only touchdown in his career at this point.
Fitzpatrick was drafted by the Titans at 109th overall in the fourth round of the 2021 NFL Draft out of Louisville. Fitzpatrick totalled 2,589 yards in college, including a freshman season in 2017 that saw him catch 9 touchdowns, which was second best in the ACC, one behind Auden Tate of Florida State. Fitzpatrick caught passes in college from future NFL quarterbacks in Lamar Jackson and Malik Cunningham.
With the reserves/future contract Fitzpatrick has been signed to, he will continue to be able to develop his game in a developmental setting. That being said, the clock is running out on Fitzpatrick, as he is already 25 years old.
