Lions add safety Andre Cisco from Jets: What the trade means for Detroit’s defense

The Detroit Lions have agreed to acquire safety Andre Cisco from the New York Jets, according to the team’s Tim Twentyman, with the return listed as a 2028 sixth-round draft pick. The deal gives Detroit veteran help in a secondary that already includes a mix of starters, recent re-emergence, and youth.

Cisco, a safety who has also logged meaningful snaps in the box and a small amount in the slot, has played in nine games for New York this season with four starts. Twentyman reports Cisco has 23 tackles, two tackles for loss, one sack, a forced fumble, and a pass defended, including a sack in Week 3 against the Lions in Detroit’s 31-24 win.

From a role standpoint, Twentyman says Cisco has spent the majority of his time at free safety (151 snaps), with additional usage in the box (29) and in the slot (six). He’s also described as a “four-core” special teams player, with 130 total reps across four units.

The Lions’ defensive staff connection is a major part of the fit. Twentyman notes that passing game coordinator and defensive backs coach Deshea Townsend held the same role in Jacksonville in 2022 and 2023, when Cisco was with the Jaguars, and that Townsend should be familiar with the style of defensive work Cisco did in New York under head coach Aaron Glenn, who previously served as Detroit’s defensive coordinator from 2021-24.

Detroit also positioned the move as flexibility. Twentyman attributes to Lions head coach Dan Campbell the idea that Cisco can play safety and nickel, and can contribute in third-down defensive groupings, alongside that flexibility for Brian Branch as well.

Twentyman’s season-acceleration context is that Cisco arrives with ball skills and run-defending traits. He reports Cisco’s coverage area has drawn completions at a 50 percent rate with a 63.5 passer rating against, and he cites Pro Football Focus grading that shows an 81.1 run defense grade this season. Twentyman also notes Cisco has eight interceptions, 26 passes defensed, 2.5 sacks, and six tackles for loss across 80 career games with 59 starts.