The New York Jets have quickly gone from being a team that was thin at safety to having plenty of depth and it’s still only March.
Malachi Moore showed a lot as a rookie in New York’s defense. So much so that he earned himself a bonus worth over $1 million. He played in all 17 games for the Jets in 2025, including 14 starts. Heading into 2026, he looks like a lock for the starting lineup for New York. But the Jets entered the offseason with question marks with both Andre Cisco and Tony Adams heading to free agency. Clearly, the Jets don’t want to enter the 2026 season with any question marks at the position whatsoever, though.
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The Jets acquired Minkah Fitzpatrick from the Miami Dolphins in a splashy trade. That deal was enough to bolster the room. But New York also brought Dane Belton to town and re-signed Cisco in a somewhat surprising move. Now, the team has plenty of depth at the position. One thing that should get Jets fans excited is the reason why Cisco opted to return.
The Jets veteran opened up about his return
Sep 21, 2025; Tampa, Florida, USA; New York Jets safety Andre Cisco (8) looks on before a game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
“[I’m] extremely excited,” Cisco said, as transcribed by team reporter Susanna Weir. “No place I’d rather be, so I’m happy for it. … Last year, [there was] a ton of adversity to navigate. This year, adversity is always going to come. We obviously want more wins. We will have more wins. I’m just glad to kind of bring some learning lessons from last year and fix it.”
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That’s not all. He had nothing but positive things to say about Jets head coach Aaron Glenn as well.
“AG – he gets it,” Cisco said. “Being a guy that played for this organization but also had a lot of success in this league as a player and a defensive back. So, I think for myself, I’m just excited to continue to learn from him. He taught me a lot last year just about the position, about leadership. I think everybody can learn a tidbit and just embrace their role. AG is definitely the right leader.”
It was a tough season for the Jets, but comments like these really should give the fanbase hope, especially about Glenn. It takes time to completely rebuild a team’s culture. The first year is behind them and New York already looks better for it after all of the moves of the offseason.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/jets/onsi as Jets’ Andre Cisco Reveals Exactly Why He Returned.