Recently Re-Signed Jet Already on Roster Chopping Block

The pressure is on safety Andre Cisco if he wants to keep his starting role.

Sep 14, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Jets safety Andre Cisco (8) after the game against the Buffalo Bills at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

As the Jets prepare for the start of offseason team activities (OTAs) on Wednesday, some veterans could find themselves in a precarious position to make the 53-man roster if they do not make enough of an impression on coaches.

Safety Andre Cisco, who was a third-round pick in the 2021 draft by the Jacksonville Jaguars, is someone who is already feeling the pressure on a roster that is now full of talented young rookies following an impressive draft class. For Cisco, specifically, he is facing competition at safety from 2025 fourth-rounder Malachi Moore and new Jet Dane Belton, who signed a one-year deal with the team in March.

Following his first season in Gang Green in 2025, Cisco signed a one-year extension to remain in the Big Apple. But OTAs and everything else going forward are going to be extremely important for him if he wants to secure a job later this summer.

Andre Cisco's roster spot could be in jeopardy

Along with defensive tackle Mazi Smith, edge rusher Braiden McGregor and wide receiver Arian Smith, ESPN's Rich Cimini recently listed Cisco as someone who could be fighting for a roster spot. When you consider how his lone season with the Jets played out, it is certainly not out of the question that he could be left off the 53-man roster if he does not put together a solid offseason program.

Before he arrived at the Jets organization, Cisco recorded as many as 73 total tackles in a single season with the Jaguars in 2022, in addition to 1.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, eight interceptions (one for a TD), 24 passes defended and four stuffs. In fact, he had four picks alone in 2023, so the potential is certainly there if Cisco can hold onto the starting role.

In a 2025 season that was cut short just eight games into the campaign due to a pectoral tear, Cisco still managed 41 total tackles but did not leave much of an impact anywhere else. According to Pro Football Focus, Cisco had a 54.5 coverage grade and a 75.6 run defense grade, both of which ranked 66th and 28th, respectively, out of 98 qualified safeties.

Furthermore, Moore's grades in coverage (54.0) and run defense (70.1) were nearly identical. Meanwhile, Belton posted an even higher coverage grade of 59.8 and a similar run defense grade (70.7) with the New York Giants.

Those grades alone should not determine who gets the starting position. But it shows how evenly matched the three safeties were last season and why the presence of Moore and Belton, combined with Cisco's suspect play, doesn'tleave a lot of room for him to make many mistakes.

It also does not help Cisco that both Moore (101) and Belton (120) produced the second-most total tackles for the Jets and Giants, respectively, last season.

Moore also added three tackles for loss, three passes defended, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery. Belton had two sacks, three tackles for loss, five passes defended, one interception, and three forced fumbles with the Giants, so it is clear that Cisco is facing some stiff competition despite re-signing with the franchise.

Some key upgrades through the draft have placed increased pressure on Mazi Smith, McGregor and Arian Smith, but Cisco is not immune either. His history with the Jaguars is encouraging, but with Moore having a year behind him and Belton joining the fold, how Cisco performs during OTAs and beyond will dictate what his future holds in a Jets uniform.