Tennessee Titans undrafted second-year wide receiver Xavier Restrepo is no doubt a fan favorite and a favorite of franchise quarterback Cam Ward from their time spent together at Miami and their off-the-field connection. And while Restrepo has improved quite a bit from his rookie season last year, when he got cut at the end of training camp and remained on the practice squad for the majority of the year, making the 53-man roster remains a tall order.

The hard thing is that the nature of the position he plays and the athletic profile he carries make it difficult for him to crack this 53-man roster. That’s not going to stop one of the harder workers and one of the more confident guys on this Titans roster from making his case.

Xavier Restrepo leaves good tape for Titans to sleep on

He showed that Saturday night in the preseason finale with a team-high four catches, a team-high 71 yards, and a team-high six targets in the game against the Bears. Restrepo put together a solid summer and offseason as a whole, dating back to spring OTAs. 

“I would say connected more and more as we got on,” Restrepo said. “At first, obviously, you’re not going to be your best, but I feel like we gradually got better and the chemistry started sticking in, especially with the 2s and 3s, the guys that don’t really get that many reps. When the reps came, I felt like we were more prepared and we took advantage of it all.”

“I’m just healthier, faster, honestly. I just feel like these coaches did an amazing job of giving me opportunities. I’d like to think that when they did give me opportunities, I’ve done the most with it. Obviously, we left some plays out there, but for the most part, felt like I took advantage of the opportunities and I just feel so much more grounded.”

When asked how much it would mean for him to make the 53-man roster over the practice squad, that was his best answer of the entire day. 

“It means a lot. Obviously, I’m not satisfied at all with being on the practice squad, but I think nobody is satisfied with that, right? Because that’s why we play football. I think the goal is definitely make plays when it counts. Coach (Robert) Saleh had a great analogy. He says these games may not count, but they matter. So I think that when it starts to count, I would love to contribute to the team. I feel like I love all my brothers in here, and I feel I could make a difference on the team. Again, whatever happens, happens.”

We saw flashes of that when he was a rookie against the Seattle Seahawks, converting a few first downs against the soon-to-be Super Bowl champs, getting open, catching the ball, and making plays before he ended up getting hurt at the end of that season.

Roster math and Chimere Dike’s versatility block Restrepo’s path

I really do think Restrepo is destined for the practice squad on this team, but I definitely see a situation where he can make an impact on Sundays this upcoming season.

As far as the role Restrepo would play, he’s kind of blocked on the roster by second-year player Chimere Dike. Dike’s versatility is an asset for the Titans, and when you can only have 53 men on a football roster and only 48 players active on a game day, you have to be able to do a lot of different things.

Wan’Dale Robinson was paid significant money to be brought in during free agency as this team’s go-to slot receiver in Brian Daboll’s offense. If there is a direct backup to Robinson, it’s Restrepo. But the problem is Dike can play the backup to Robinson and also serve as the backup to Carnell Tate or Calvin Ridley at any of the three wide receiver positions. That is his versatility.

Dike was also the best return man in the NFL as a rookie in 2025, setting the all-purpose yards record and making the All-Pro team and the Pro Bowl. He’s got upside as a receiver, he’s a strong special teams player, and he’s a dynamite returner who can play all three positions. Restrepo right now can really only do the Robinson role on this team. He does it well, and he has gotten better, but the Titans need more from their roster spots.

Special teams growth and the path forward

The Titans did try to give Restrepo extra reps and experience during training camp on special teams units, and that’s a part of his game where he’s improving. A guy who has more catches and receiving yards than anybody else who played receiver at the University of Miami, in a Hurricanes receiver history full of NFL Hall of Fame players, didn’t play special teams before he got here. He was always catching passes and scoring touchdowns. Now he’s having to get better at that and having to be a better athlete to play on those units.

Right now he’s blocked out by Robinson and by Dike. If you want extra proof of why Dike is that backup to Robinson on the 53-man roster, look at joint practice against the Bears on Thursday. When Xavier Woods delivered the cheap, dirty hit on Robinson in that two-minute drill, Dike was the one who came in for Robinson and caught the touchdown pass from Cam Ward two plays later to end that practice session.

Restrepo makes a great case for himself. I hope he sticks around on this practice squad, because I’d love to see him continue to work his way toward making an impact for this team on Sundays.