2:25pm: The Titans have officially informed Fitzpatrick he has been released, says Wyatt (via Twitter).
2:09pm: The Titans are expected to release Ryan Fitzpatrick today, according to Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean (via Twitter). The veteran signal-caller has a $500K roster bonus due on the fifth day of the league year, so the team figures to part ways with him before paying that bonus.
Fitzpatrick’s release had been viewed as a possibility this offseason, and his fate was likely sealed when the team agreed to sign Charlie Whitehurst this week. Whitehurst, the former Chargers backup, looks poised to enter the 2014 season as Jake Locker‘s primary backup.
As for Fitzpatrick, releasing him would create $3.25MM in cap savings for the Titans, leaving just $875K of his $4.125MM cap number on the books in dead money. He’ll immediately becoming an unrestricted free agent when the move becomes official, and given the lack of top-tier options on this year’s market, it may not take him long to find a new job — Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com (Twitter link) thinks Fitzpatrick could have a new deal in place within the next few days.