The Jets have replaced one blocking specialist with another. The team announced that they’ve signed tight end Anthony Firkser. In a corresponding move, the Jets released fullback Nick Bawden.
Firkser has served in a variety of roles during his NFL career, most commonly as a tight end or fullback. He was once relatively productive in the receiving game, including a 2020 campaign where he hauled in 39 catches for 387 yards. He was also called upon as a run blocker, especially while he was in Tennessee. During the 2021 season, Firkser got into a career-high 109 run-blocking snaps for the Titans.
Since leaving Tennessee, Firkser hasn’t seen a consistent role at any of his stops. He got into 11 games for the Falcons in 2022, finishing with nine catches while getting into 47 blocking snaps. After spending the 2023 preseason in New England, the veteran spent much of the regular season on Detroit’s practice squad.
This Jets signing will be a bit of a homecoming for Firkser. The Harvard product got his first NFL opportunity with the Jets as an undrafted free agent in 2017. He’ll be taking the roster spot previously held by Bawden, who was just activated from the PUP yesterday. Bawden spent the past three years in New York, including a 2023 campaign where he got into a career-high 16 games. The former seventh-round pick saw time on more than 90 blocking snaps for the Jets in 2023 while also seeing a significant role on special teams.
Firkser could easily slide right into that role, but the team also has some young options for their now-open fullback gig. 2022 third-round pick Jeremy Ruckert has excelled as a run blocker, while UDFA Lincoln Sefcik has reportedly been working as an H-back during the first few practices.