Jets Sign S Anthony Cioffi
The Jets have turned to the CFL for some potential depth in their secondary. The team announced tonight that they’ve signed safety Anthony Cioffi. SiriusXM’s Adam Caplan tweets that it’s a two-year deal.
The New Jersey native was a standout at Rutgers before signing with the Raiders as an undrafted free agent in 2017. He compiled six tackles and one sack in four preseason games before getting cut by Oakland.
He ultimately caught one with the Ottawa Redblacks of the Canadian Football League, where he spent the 2018 and 2019 seasons. Serving as a defensive back and linebacker, Cioffi compiled 97 defensive tackles, two interceptions, three forced fumbles, and four sacks in 33 career games.
The Jets secondary could look a whole lot different in 2020, as cornerbacks Brian Poole, Arthur Maulet, and Maurice Canady are set to hit free agency. There’s also a good chance that the organization moves on from Trumaine Johnson.
Redskins Sign LB Jared Norris
Jared Norris has found himself another NFL gig. The Redskins announced today that they’ve signed the veteran linebacker (via Charean Williams of ProFootballTalk.com)
After sitting on the injured reserve for most of the 2018 campaign with a toe injury, Norris found himself out of football in 2019 after getting cut by the Panthers. The last time the 26-year-old appeared in a regular season game was Week 3 of the 2018 season.
The Utah product originally joined the Panthers as an undrafted free agent in 2016, and he proceeded to compile 11 tackles in 28 total games over three seasons. As Williams notes, Norris has never played a defensive snap in his entire career, although he’s taken part in 526 special teams plays.
The Redskins made the move despite not having a definitive general manager. Without a replacement lined up for Bruce Allen, Redskins VP of Player Personnel Kyle Smith has taken the lead in the front office.
Jets Sign TE Daniel Brown To Extension
The Jets have signed tight end Daniel Brown to a one-year extension, according to a team press release. Terms of the deal are not yet known. Last year, he earned $805K while counting for just $735K against the cap, thanks to the minimum salary benefit provision.
Brown joined Gang Green in March, fresh off of a two-year stint with the Ravens. In recent years, he hasn’t been utilized much as a pass-catcher, but the Jets still found plenty of use for him in 2019. Brown, 28 in May, lined up for 29% of their offensive snaps and was featured 67% of the time on special teams. He also appeared in every single game, marking his first NFL season with perfect attendance.
Brown figures to be a part of the plan in 2020 as well, though he’ll be playing behind Ryan Griffin and Chris Herndon. Herndon missed all but one game last year thanks a suspension, plus hamstring and rib injuries. In his stead, Griffin had 34 catches for 320 yards and five touchdowns.
Today, the Jets also announced the signing of Rutgers product Anthony Cioffi. Cioffi spent the last two seasons in the CFL where he played as a defensive back and an undersized linebacker.
Titans Re-Sign TE Anthony Firkser
The Titans have re-signed TE Anthony Firkser, the team announced. He was an exclusive rights free agent, but given the promise he showed in 2019, it was an easy call for Tennessee to tender him.
Firkser, a Harvard product, signed with the Jets as a UDFA in 2017, but he was waived by New York prior to the start of the 2017 regular season. He caught on with the Chiefs’ practice squad several months later and was retained by KC via a reserve/futures deal, but the Chiefs cut him in April 2018.
After a minicamp tryout with the Titans shortly thereafter, Firkser signed with Tennessee and enjoyed a productive preseason. He ended the 2018 campaign with 19 catches for 225 yards and a score, and he had a similar statistical output in 2019, catching 14 passes for 204 yards and a TD. But he came up with a couple of big catches during the club’s surprising postseason run at the end of the 2019 season, and the Titans obviously want to see more of him in 2020.
The Titans currently have Delanie Walker and Jonnu Smith ahead of Firkser on the TE depth chart, but Walker will be 36 before the regular season begins and has had his last two seasons marred by injury. As such, the team could part ways with him, which would save about $6.5MM of cap room and which could create more playing time for Firkser.
Ravens Re-Sign DB Jordan Richards
The Ravens have re-signed Jordan Richards to a one-year pact, the team announced. Baltimore acquired the 27-year-old in October after he was cut by the Patriots.
That transaction ended up being a trade of sorts. New England waived Richards in order to make room for Justin Bethel, whom the Ravens released several days before for compensatory pick purposes. And while Richards does not have the reputation of being a special teams ace like Bethel does, he acquitted himself nicely in that regard for Baltimore.
A DB by trade, Richards played just one defensive snap for the Ravens, but he was on the field for 177 special teams snaps. He recorded seven tackles and even managed to score a TD in the team’s regular season finale by jumping on a ball that Steelers punter Jordan Berry fumbled into the endzone.
Though it’s a low-key move, the Richards signing is emblematic of Baltimore GM Eric DeCosta‘s clear desire to be proactive in re-signing or extending both starters and role players. Plus, with two other ST contributors in Anthony Levine and Brynden Trawick also eligible for free agency, bringing Richards back was important for the team’s kick coverage units.
Earlier this week, the Ravens agreed to a three-year extension with strong safety Chuck Clark.
Browns’ Myles Garrett Reinstated By NFL
Browns defensive end Myles Garrett has been reinstated by the NFL, as first reported by Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com (on Twitter). Garrett was suspended indefinitely for his role in last year’s brawl against the Steelers, but he has the green light to return after meeting with league brass this week. 
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“We welcome Myles back to our organization with open arms,” said Browns GM Andrew Berry in a team press release. “We know he is grateful to be reinstated, eager to put the past behind him and continue to evolve and grow as a leader. We look forward to having his strong positive presence back as a teammate, player and person in our community.”
Garrett, the former No. 1 overall pick in the draft, made headlines for all the wrong reasons in November after he swung at Mason Rudolph‘s unprotected head with the quarterback’s own helmet. In the days that followed, Garrett’s camp alleged that the fracas was prompted by Rudolph’s use of a racial slur. The Steelers QB, through his attorney, vehemently denied those charges.
All along, it has been expected that Garrett would be permitted to play this season. Going off of the league’s recent disciplinary history, there will likely be some conditions for Garrett to satisfy even as he’s welcomed back to the field. During his ban, the NFL ordered Garrett to undergo counseling, among other things.
Before the ugliness, Garrett had a reputation as one of the league’s consummate professionals. His lack of a rap sheet, and humanitarian work, probably helped to facilitate his return. Next week, he’ll fly to Tanzania to bring clean water to locals in need.
Garrett, set to enter his fourth season as a pro, registered ten sacks in just ten games last season. Had he played a full season, he likely would have shattered his previous watermark of 13.5 sacks from the 2018 campaign. Despite the time he missed between his first-year injuries and last year’s suspension, Garrett’s 30.5 lifetime sacks are the most ever tallied by a Browns player during the first three years of their career.
Minor NFL Transactions: 2/11/20
Here are today’s minor moves:
Kansas City Chiefs
- Re-signed: WR Gehrig Dieter
New England Patriots
- Signed: DB Lenzy Pipkins
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: DL Alex Barrett, OL Jake Brendel, OL Jaryd Jones-Smith
Ravens Sign Chuck Clark To Extension
Chuck Clark isn’t going anywhere. On Monday, the Ravens announced the signing of a three-year extension for their safety. 
“Chuck is a great story about hard work, patience, preparation and passion,” Ravens GM Eric DeCosta said in a statement. “He waited for his chance and seized the opportunity. Chuck’s a good football player, a fine teammate and a respected leader. He’s the type of player we want on our defense for a long time. Congrats to Chuck and his family.”
Clark, 24, enjoyed a breakout season in 2019. After starting the year as a reserve, he cracked the starting lineup in Week 6 and delivered impressive performances throughout the second half of the year. All in all, he logged 68 tackles, one sack, one interception, and nine passes defensed across 16 games (12 starts).
Before the extension, Clark was set to play out the final year of his rookie deal in 2020. After the former sixth-round pick earns a modest salary for the 2020 season, he’ll see a significant step up – he’ll make $15.3MM over the course of the additional three years, ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter) hears. Including the ’20 season, the Ravens have him for four years and $16MM, Schefter hears. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) hears that the three additional deals are actually worth $19MM with $10MM in guarantees (the $19MM figure may include incentives; it’s not yet clear whether the $10MM figure represents full guarantees at signing.)
Given Clark’s status as a starting safety, this profiles as a very team-friendly deal for the Ravens. Clark won’t turn 25 until April and the Ravens have locked him down through most of his prime years at a very reasonable rate. Meanwhile, Clark has secured his financial future with the deal in exchange for sacrificing open market upside.
With Clark in the starting lineup, the Ravens boasted the league’s best defense from Week 7 onward. They’ll look to keep the momentum going with several key secondary players signed for multiple seasons – cornerback Marcus Peters and nickel corner Tavon Young are under contract through 2022 thanks to their extensions last year.
Minor NFL Transactions: 2/7/20
We’ll keep track of today’s minor moves here:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: P Sam Irwin-Hill
San Francisco 49ers
- Re-signed: C Jake Brendel
Minor NFL Transactions: 2/6/20
Here are Thursday’s minor moves:
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: LB Quentin Poling