Andre Cisco didn’t see the field much as a rookie with the Jacksonville Jaguars, despite Urban Meyer saying otherwise. It wasn’t until the 2022 season that Cisco stepped into the starting lineup on a full-time basis and showed what made him a third-round draft pick.
Now, entering his third season and his second as the Jaguars’ starting free safety, Cisco may be primed to step into the top tier of NFL safeties.
“You can see the comfort in him,” Jaguars defensive coordinator Mike Caldwell said on Tuesday. “He’s a talented, good player. You can just see that he’s ready to take that next step. He’s out there, and he’s comfortable. His ability is going to take over.”
Cisco finished the 2022 season with three interceptions, 10 pass deflections, and one sack. In a preseason game on Saturday, he forced a sack on the Dallas Cowboys’ first possession when his blitz moved quarterback Cooper Rush right into the arms of Jaguars defensive tackle DaVon Hamilton.
“There are different ways to be able to use his ability,” Caldwell said of Cisco. “Being able to rush the quarterback, playing the middle of the field. He’s a talented player that we’ll be able to use in a variety of ways.”
“Early on in the game, he had a great up-the-field tackle. That’s one of the things he’s improved on. Blitzing, he’s able to do that. The coverage skills, you know he has that, but just being able to be a well-rounded, play-making safety. That’s our vision for him, and that’s what he’s turning into.”
Cisco has two seasons left on his rookie deal before he sets to become a free agent in 2025.
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