With free agency around the corner, the NFL announced that the salary cap will be higher than expected in 2025. This will benefit all 32 teams. This will allow some of them to keep players they were planning to release or let walk while others may be incentivized to make more moves in free agency. The Jacksonville Jaguars fall in the former category.
The league announced that the salary cap for 2025 will be between $277.5 million to $282.5 million, which represents a $7 million increase from the expected ceiling. This means that teams will have extra money to spend. In the Jags' case, they'll have $38.2 million instead of $38.1 million, per Spotract.
The NFL today informed teams that the 2025 per-team salary cap will fall in the range of $277.5 million to $281.5 million, way up from last year's $255.4 million. Cap will have increased by more than $53 million over the last two years.
— Dan Graziano (@DanGrazianoESPN) February 19, 2025
With the extra space, Jacksonville could make an additional signing in free agency, or bring back any of their players scheduled to hit the open market. Since they've already locked up Trevor Lawrence, edge rusher Josh Hines-Allen, cornerback Tyson Campbell, and offensive tackle Walker Little. That leaves safety Andre Cisco and right guard Brandon Scherff as their most prominent free agents.
Jacksonville isn't planning on using the franchise tag on either Cisco or Scherff, but the increased floor may prompt them to keep one of them. Given that the latter is 33 and past his prime, the former makes the most sense.
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Why the Jaguars may want to re-sign Andre Cisco
A ballhawk in college, Andre Cisco fell to the third round of the 2021 draft because of medical red flags, having suffered a lower-body injury in 2019 and tearing his ACL in 2020. Surprisingly, he managed to stay healthy as a rookie but spent most of the year on the sidelines. Once he was given a chance, the former Syracuse, Orangeman showed game-changing potential.
After flashing late in 2021, Cisco joined the starting lineup in his sophomore campaign. He wasted no time showcasing his playmaking prowess, registering a combined seven interceptions and 15 passes defensed the next two years.
Expected to have a breakout season in 2024, the New York, Queens native instead regressed. He was inconsistent in coverage and struggled to defend the run. Then again, the defense as a whole struggled because Ryan Nielsen wasn't able to get the most out of his players.
It's reasonable to think that Cisco could return back to form under the new coaching staff. Defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile has had success everywhere he's gone because of his no-nonsense approach and it shouldn't be any different in Jacksonville.
Add the increased cap ceiling, and it wouldn't be shocking if the Jaguars' brass choose to bring the fifth-year safety back, which didn't seem like a legitimate possibility just a few weeks ago.
Of course, it takes two to tango, and Cisco might want to test the market and see what other teams are willing to pay him. He's already displayed the ability to make plays and is healthy, so he should have no shortage of suitors.
Ultimately, free agency could go in several different ways, but it wouldn't hurt to see the Jacksonville Jaguars make an attempt to re-sign Andre Cisco.