Dan Campbell Explains Andre Cisco Trade: Why Detroit Wanted Him, and Why More Moves Are Still Possible
Brad Holmes finally made his move. And Dan Campbell is excited about it.
On Monday, the Detroit Lions finalized a trade with the New York Jets for veteran safety Andre Cisco in exchange for a 2028 sixth-round pick. To make room, Detroit waived tight end Jackson Meeks.
It wasn’t the blockbuster cornerback or edge rusher trade some fans were hoping for. But Campbell made it clear Monday: this wasn’t a random grab. Detroit has had its eye on Cisco for a long time.
“We’re finalizing that right now. We’ve liked Cisco from afar, having played against him and then even in free agency when he was at Jacksonville coming out,” Campbell said. “So, he’s athletic, he’s versatile. He knows our system. He knows the verbiage. So, we feel like this is a guy that can help us here a little bit. So yeah, we’re excited.”
That familiarity matters more than it sounds.
Cisco played two seasons in Jacksonville under Lions secondary coach Deshea Townsend, and the last two seasons in New York under former Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, now the Jets head coach. He already speaks Detroit’s defensive language.
And Detroit just played against him. In Week 3 at Ford Field, Cisco sacked Jared Goff for a 10-yard loss, made six tackles, and chased down Isaac TeSlaa after a 49-yard catch. If that was an audition, he passed.
So what does Cisco actually bring?
Flexibility. That’s the word Campbell kept coming back to.
“Well, it gives us flexibility,” Campbell said. ” Cisco’s obviously played safety, played nickel. He can play other things on third down in your dime package. So can [Brian] Branch. We get Kerby [Joseph] back eventually here. Kerby gives you flexibility; keep him where you need him or move him back and forth. And then you mentioned Abney. Abney’s got flexibility now: nickel and safety. So, it does. It gives us flexibility, is what it does, and gives us depth too.”
That’s the key for the homestretch.
Brian Branch has played three games since returning from a torn Achilles. Chuck Clark has started the last three games at safety and just got his second interception Sunday vs. Miami. Kerby Joseph is still working back from a knee injury — Campbell said Joseph “did a good job” in practice last week and the Lions want to get him more work before deciding if they activate him after this week’s game against New England in Germany.
Cisco, 26, gives them another experienced option who can step in without needing weeks to learn the system.
His numbers this year don’t jump off the page — 23 tackles, one sack, one forced fumble, one pass defended in nine games — because his role in New York had shrunk. He started four games but hadn’t played more than 10 defensive snaps in a game since September.
In Detroit, his role could be bigger, because the need is bigger. Detroit’s secondary was a mess early in the season. It’s played much better during the four-game win streak, but depth is still thin.
And Campbell was honest about what comes next.
The trade deadline is today, Tuesday at 4 p.m. ET. Campbell said Holmes “hasn’t stopped” looking.
“It’s about: is there a piece that could help upgrade us? Is there really, and what is it going to cost you? … Doesn’t mean that we’re not still looking; see if there’s something else that makes sense for us. But our unit is playing pretty good football right now. And so, it’s got to make sense for us, and it’s got to be something we feel like it can help us, or it gives us significant depth.”
Translation: Cisco is done. More is possible, but only if the price and fit are right.
Detroit still has needs at cornerback and linebacker. Campbell didn’t rule those out.
For now, the Lions are 6-2, they added a versatile, athletic safety who already knows their system, and they didn’t give up much to get him — a 2028 sixth-rounder.
It’s not a headline-grabbing splash. It’s a Holmes move: patient, system-fit, depth for the stretch run.
And Campbell likes it. That tells you a lot.
Mabel Joshua is the founder and lead editor of CelebrityTale.com with 4+ years covering celebrity news, entertainment trends and pop culture. She curates breaking stories with verified sources, focusing on real-time updates from Hollywood, music and lifestyle. When not reporting, she tracks emerging talents and viral moments across social platforms.
