Three 2020 Practice Squad Players Released

Parker Hesse, Matt Orzech and Nate Orchard never saw any regular-season action with the Tennessee Titans.

Early in the offseason, the Tennessee Titans made moves designed to clear space under the salary cap.

Monday, they created room on the roster with the release of three players. Tight end Parker Hesse, outside linebacker Nate Orchard and long snapper Matt Orzech was waived.

None of the three ever played for the Titans.

Orzech’s departure seemed guaranteed from the moment Tennessee signed Morgan Cox, a four-time Pro Bowler at long snapper, early in the free agency period.

Orzech, 25, joined the Titans when they signed him off the Miami Dolphins’ practice squad on Nov. 4, 2020. He was cut from the active roster on Dec. 1 and spent the rest of the season on the practice squad.

He never appeared in a game because coaches elected to go with Matt Overton, who was signed out of retirement to the practice squad nearly a month prior to Orzech’s addition. In 2019, as an undrafted rookie, Orzech played all 16 games for the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Hesse, 25, is a converted defensive end who spent two full seasons on the Titans practice squad. He never has been added to the active roster or appeared in an NFL game.

Orchard, 28, was signed to the practice squad in mid-December after the Houston Texans released him. A second-round pick by Cleveland in 2015, he has appeared in 46 NFL games for four teams, including three contests early last season with the Washington Football Team.

The Titans are in the process of getting this year’s undrafted free agents signed to contracts, and these releases likely will allow them to look at additional first-time professionals.