On Friday, the New York Jets re-signed veteran safety Andre Cisco to a one-year deal, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. The contract is worth up to $5.25 million.
Cisco, who turns 26 on March 23 of this year, originally signed with the Jets last offseason (2025). Aaron Glenn envisioned the veteran free safety anchoring the back end of his defense from a centerfield post.
Unfortunately, injuries limited the former Jacksonville Jaguars defensive back to just eight games this past season.
He suffered a torn pectoral in the Jets’ Week 8 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals, the team’s first win of the campaign. It required season-ending surgery, cutting Cisco’s season extremely short.
In those eight games, Cisco totaled 41 tackles (26 solo), one tackle for loss, one pass defensed, and a fumble recovery — which served as the defense’s first turnover of the year, the London game against the Denver Broncos.
The re-signing serves as a semi-surprise for some. Although New York could use more depth on the back-end, some of the names in the safety room led conventional wisdom to believe that Cisco would not return in 2026.
Earlier this week, the Jets signed former New York Giants safety Dane Belton to a one-year pact for up to $6 million. Before that, they pulled off a trade with the rival Miami Dolphins to acquire three-time First-Team All-Pro (2019, 2020, and 2022) Minkah Fitzpatrick.
Nevertheless, Glenn opted to bring back Cisco, even with sophomore Malachi Moore still in the safety room. Perhaps any of the fleeting dreamers who prayed for the Jets to select Ohio State safety Caleb Downs at No. 2 in the 2026 NFL draft can now officially shut down those hopes.
As it currently stands, pencil in Andre Cisco as the starting free safety, and Minkah Fitzpatrick as the starting strong safety, with Malachi Moore and Dane Belton serving as nice depth options.
