Well, well, well.
The New York Jets pulled off one move ahead of the 2026 NFL trade deadline when they sent veteran defensive back Andre Cisco to the Detroit Lions.
It was originally reported that the Jets sent Cisco to the Lions in exchange for a 2028 sixth-round pick. However, on the NFL’s transaction wire 24 hours later, it revealed that the Jets received a 2029 sixth-round pick instead.
So what gives?
NFL Insider Tom Pelissero explained on X that, “The Broncos aren’t the first team to attempt to renegotiate a trade based on medical concerns: The Lions did it the day before and agreed with the Jets to modify their trade for safety Andre Cisco.”
That Answers the Mystery
That at least explains what happened. Fans were speculating on social media about what happened. Did ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter simply misreport the pick that the Jets were set to receive? Was there some snafu during the trade negotiations?
The Jets and Lions were able to work out the difference. Detroit raised issues about Cisco’s medicals and wanted to adjust the trade compensation to reflect that. This was an easier situation to handle.
Cisco had no future with the Jets, so they were more willing to adjust the draft compensation, but for a higher-level player, that can become more complicated.
Which is what happened between the Broncos and the Los Angeles Chargers. The two sides originally agreed to a deal that would send linebacker Daiyan Henley to Denver in exchange for a 2027 fourth-round pick and a 2028 fifth-round pick.
However, Denver raised issues about his medicals and wanted to adjust the trade compensation.
“Denver’s revised trade terms gave Los Angeles the option of either a fourth-rounder and a seventh-rounder for Henley, or a fourth-rounder and another pick flip,” sources told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter.
The Chargers said no thanks, and the deal was dead.
The League Is Looking Into This
“The Broncos acted in good faith and within their rights to cancel the Daiyan Henley trade. But some GMs want the NFL to reexamine the ‘loophole’ allowing teams to renegotiate after the deadline, arguing someone could abuse the system,” Pelissero explained on X.
One person who is particularly peeved with how things played out is Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh.
“The Broncos based a pass-fail on a medical grade, based on whether we would take less compensation. And we wouldn’t. And we didn’t,” Harbaugh said via ESPN’s Lindsey Thiry. “And in my opinion, it’s one of those loopholes that the league should really look into because it sets a bad precedent, and it continues to set a bad precedent.”
This is where things get difficult to officiate. We saw it during the offseason between the Las Vegas Raiders and the Baltimore Ravens during the Maxx Crosby negotiations. The two sides agreed to a deal. Crosby visited Baltimore, and their medical staff had a different opinion than the Raiders.
Each medical staff can reach its own conclusion, and the NFL can’t overrule whatever the professionals say for either team.
Insider Reveals Real Reason Lions Changed Jets Trade Terms