Ex-Lions TE Signs With Conference Rival in $1.2 Million Move

The Detroit Lions found some trusted tight end depth in veteran Anthony Firker, but he has not moved on to a new NFL home.

The Washington Commanders announced that they signed the ninth-year tight end, bringing him on a one-year deal worth $1.2 million. Firkser filled an important role for the Lions last year, and now will look to contribute on a team that had recently been a Super Bowl contender.

Anthony Firkser Lands With New Team

The Commanders announced that they signed Firkser this week, releasing wide receiver Ja’Corey Brooks to make room for him on the 90-man roster.

“Firkser, an undrafted free agent from Harvard, has appeared in 85 games with eight starts in eight NFL seasons,” the Commanders noted. “Firkser was most recently with the Detroit Lions, where he played in seven games last season, but has also spent time with the Tennessee Titans, Atlanta Falcons, New York Jets and Kansas City Chiefs. Firkser has 123 receptions on 163 targets for 1,260 yards and five touchdowns.”

Firkser appeared in seven games with four starts for the Lions, making eight receptions for 53 yards. He was also a regular on special teams for the Lions, appearing in 80 total snaps.

As Christian Booher of SI.com noted, Firkser added versatility to the offense.

“The veteran has experience playing both as a tight end and as a traditional fullback, which could be advantageous for the Lions if they ever need to utilize him as a game day elevation,” Booher wrote.

“The Lions were clearly looking for tight end depth, as the team worked out both Firkser and rookie Thomas Gordon prior to signing Firkser. Gordon was an undrafted free agent in the 2025 Draft and spent training camp with the Chicago Bears.”

Firkser had spent part of the 2023 season with the Lions as well, playing almost exclusively on special teams.

The Lions likely could have brought Firkser back, especially at the affordable rate the Commanders paid, but chose to move on.

Lions Add More Depth at Tight End

The Lions have a top-heavy tight end room, with star Sam LaPorta accounting for the bulk of the production and the team’s other players making only spotty contributions.

The team did add some depth to the position this year, signing Tennessee tight end Miles Kitselman after the NFL draft. As Justin Melo of SI.com noted, Kitselman showed promise in his final collegiate season, making 26 receptions for 253 yards.

NFL draft expert Lance Zierlein predicted that Kitselman had the potential to grow into an average backup and special teams player.

“Kitselman has good size and will play as a connected tight end on the next level,” Zierlein wrote. “He needs to play with better hand placement and pad level, but he’s willing to put in work in-line or as a move blocker. He has above-average play speed in space and showed an ability to run a variety of routes. He has enough speed to stress man coverage into the second level. His separation underneath is average, though. Drops, double-catches and issues securing contested throws were evident in 2025. Kitselman has Day 3 draft value and could find work as a TE3/4.”

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