During the first five days of NFL free agency, the New York Jets have focused on signing proven veteran players on the defensive side of the ball.
The Jets reportedly agreed to terms with pass-rushers Joseph Ossai and Kingsley Enagbare, linebackers Demario Davis and Mykal Walker, and defensive backs Nahshon Wright and Dane Belton over the first few days. New York isn’t yet a team ready to make the playoffs, so adding veteran players on affordable, short-term deals makes sense as they search for their future franchise cornerstones.
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Another player to add to the list of signings is Andre Cisco, who reportedly agreed to re-sign with the Jets on a one-year contract, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
Cisco is a proven veteran
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
“The Jets make another defensive move, as Andre Cisco agreed to terms to return to [New York] on a 1-year deal worth up to $5.25M, source said,” Rapoport wrote. “Deal done by agents David Mulugheta and Andre Odom.”
Cisco signed a one-year, $8.5 million deal with the Jets ahead of the 2025 season and played in just eight games before suffering a pectoral tear in late October. He finished the season with 40 total tackles and a 75.6 PFF run defense grade.
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Drafted in the third round of the 2021 NFL Draft, Cisco spent four seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars, three of them in a full-time role. He posted a career-high four interception season with Jacksonville in 2023 and was a consistent 60-plus tackle player in the secondary throughout his tenure with the Jaguars.
Cisco’s reported $5.25 million price tag is a discount compared to what the Syracuse alumni might have received if he had stayed healthy all year. Set to turn 26 at the end of March, Cisco still has plenty left in the tank as he aims for a career resurgence in 2026.
Expect Cisco to compete for the starting strong safety spot in New York’s defense alongside veteran Minkah Fitzpatrick at free safety. The Jets have done plenty of re-tooling to their secondary, signing Wright and Belton and trading for Fitzpatrick earlier this week. Plenty of eyes will be on what Cisco can do with the Jets in 2026 as he enters another contract year with a lot to prove.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/jets/onsi as NFL Free Agency: Jets Re-Sign Young Safety to One-Year, $5.25M Deal.