Restrepo makes Titans 53-man roster

Restrepo had finally gotten elevated just before Thanksgiving before an ankle injury knocked him out for the season. He finished with three catches for 41 yards in two games. The Titans also signed DE David Ebuka Agoha, DB Keydrain Calligan, DT Timmy Horne, LB Nate Lynn, WR Hal Presley III, NT Isaiah Raikes, LB Cam Riley, RB Blake Watson, G Clay Webb and TE Joel Wilson to reserve/future deals.

Restrepo’s absence is unsurprising. The rookie wide receiver was carted away from the field after injuring his ankle in the Titans’ Week 13 loss to the Jaguars. Restrepo has caught 3-of-6 targets for 41 yards this season. He does not need to be rostered in re-draft formats.

Restrepo was called up from the practice squad for his second career game, but was not heavily involved in the offense. He caught his only target for 15 yards late in the blowout loss and was carted off after his ankle was badly injured on the tackle. Restrepo may be looking at a multi-week ankle injury as a result.

Cam Ward’s college teammate, Restrepo was third on the team in targets. He made one of the plays of the day, where he sensed Ward in trouble and got open over the middle of the field as Ward was fading out of bounds. The quarterback made a cross-body throw the wideout was able to track down and catch. Although the 23-year-old UDFA is unlikely to have much of an NFL future, the Titans would be foolish not to at least test the theory down the stretch of this lost season.

Quarterback Cam Ward’s former collegiate teammate was elevated to the active roster for the first time since signing to the team’s practice squad before the start of the season. Injuries to Calvin Ridley and Elic Ayomanor made it necessary for the team to bring up pass-catching depth, and Restrepo made the most sense. It remains to be seen how much run he will get in his first professional contest.

The former Miami (FL) receiver stays with his quarterback, albeit a beat away from actual NFL playing time on the practice squad. The Titans also added WR Mason Kinsey, WR James Proche II, QB Trevor Siemian, OL Andrew Rupcich, DT Isaiah Raikes, DE Ali Gaye, RB Jordan Mims, DB Kendell Brooks, DT Cam Horsley, RB Jermar Jefferson, DB Amani Oruwariye, DE Carlos Watkins, TE Thomas Odukoya and C Corey Levin to their practice squad.

Restrepo is a candidate for the Titans practice squad per Adam Schefter and will almost certainly head there if he doesn’t get a 53-man roster spot elsewhere. Restrepo played 44 offensive snaps in the preseason per PFF and finished with a solid 68.7 offensive grade. He may eventually be fantasy-relevant in Tennessee if the receivers in front of him wash out just based on his connection with former college teammate Cam Ward.

Winning a role on special teams is Restrepo’s ticket to the active roster. The beefy slot receiver could one day earn an offensive role, but for now, establishing himself as a utility player is key. Restrepo delivered middling results, serving as an occasional punt returner during his five-year college career. Overall, he returned 12 punts for 45 yards while forcing eight missed tackles along the way. His 3.8-yard average fails to inspire, but his 0.7 forced missed tackle average is notable.

Restrepo (5’10/209) spent all five years of his collegiate career at Miami. He made a name for himself as a high-volume slot receiver in his final two seasons, hitting 1,092 yards in 2023 and upping the ante with 1,127 yards while catching passes from Cam Ward in 2024. Restrepo is a physical slot receiver who isn’t afraid to corral passes in traffic over the middle of the field. He ran over 90 percent of his career routes from the slot and likely doesn’t have the necessary athleticism to win on the outside in the NFL. Restrepo did not test at the NFL Scouting Combine but ran at Miami’s Pro Day, clocking a time that was, at best, considered in the 4.7s, with some scouts having it much slower. He later took to social media to say his hamstring tightened in warmups. While the ceiling may be limited, Restrepo could develop into a useful WR3 for an NFL team.

Restrepo (5'10/196) performed well during fall camp, and he’s listed third on the Hurricanes depth chart at slot receiver heading into the team’s opener against UAB Thursday night. The freshman won’t be starting, as Mike Harley earned that honor, but based upon Likens’ comments Restrepo should get some chances to make plays. “He’s just a really hard-work guy, no-nonsense dude, tough as nails, really smart, takes great pride in doing everything right,” Likens said. “He’s very similar in Marshall Few in that way. Extremely happy that we have him. He makes our room better. He pays attention to details. Just a great dude.”