Vikings Defender Claims He Hasn’t Lost a Step Ahead of “Huge” Camp
Kwesi Adofo-Mensah’s early returns from his first-round picks have been mixed so far. Lewis Cine, his very first draft choice as a general manager, has barely played through two seasons. Jordan Addison, who he selected one year later, has been fantastic on the field, but his pair of traffic-related incidents raise some concerns.
Vikings Defender Claims He Hasn’t Lost a Step Ahead of “Huge” Camp
Despite the troubles, Addison has a safe roster spot, although he surely has lost some fans in the building. He is the WR2 and is envisioned as Justin Jefferson’s wingman for at least three more seasons. Cine’s story is different. The once-promising safety could realistically be in his final weeks in Minnesota.
And he seems to be aware of that possibility. After Wednesday’s opening practice, the former 32nd overall pick was questioned about the importance of training camp for him.
It’s huge, it’s huge for me on a personal note. I think I really gotta show out and really ball out and prove why I should be here and why I deserve to be playing in the NFL.
It’s unfortunate that I broke my leg. That’s long behind me. I got the opportunity to learn the defense and not be rushed where something bad could happen again, so now I just have to use this opportunity to show that I haven’t lost a step and I’m that same Lew that you guys drafted.
Lewis Cine
Cine’s fate could be a number’s problem. The Vikings currently employ six safeties. Starters Camryn Bynum and Harrison Smith will obviously make the team, and so will Swiss army knife Josh Metellus. Theo Jackson is slated to be the top backup, and Jay Ward has been a valuable player on special teams. Keeping six safeties is highly unusual, and doing that two years in a row is possible but unlikely.
He must usurp one of those guys to be on the safe side. That can be either by contributing on special teams or showing some promise on defense. Cine thinks the second year in the system could help:
I think I’m just looking forward to just balling with no thinking. I think a certain thing about being in two defenses being a safety is the mental aspect of the game and clicking. When you’re the last line of defense you gotta be on your T and be able to communicate and get in and out. I feel a lot more comfortable with me communicating with my teammates and being where I need to be.
Lewis Cine
Cine was a highly-touted player in his draft class, just coming off a national title, leading Georgia’s secondary. His tape was filled with exciting highlights, showcasing elite athleticism. His 4.37 40-yard dash at the scouting combine turned heads as well.
The Sports Illustrated scouting report in 2022 had high praise for the prospect: “Long-limbed, high-cut safety with great speed and good physicality. Cine knows his responsibilities and triggers downhill aggressively, delivering big hits. He is not as comfortable being patient in space and can miss tackles due to his aggressiveness. Cine projects as a starting safety early on who will be the tone-setter of a defense. His athleticism and mentality give him a high ceiling in any role, including as a centerfielder.”
Cine’s journey in the NFL started with him in a backup role, as he failed to claim the starting role next to Smith. Bynum kept the job, and Metellus emerged as the primary replacement. The rookie played on special teams until he broke his leg in Week 4. Ed Donatell was fired after that season, which was more bad news for Cine. The Vikings chose Cine because Donatell planned to integrate him into his defense.
Brian Flores’ arrival changed the scheme and further hurt Cine’s development because he was again new in the system. Cine has played in ten games, ten defensive snaps, and 118 special teams plays through two seasons. His speed is his trump card, and he will need all of it in his hunt for a roster spot.
When asked if he had lost a step following his injury, he replied: “I have not lost a step, no.”
The safety signed a fully guaranteed rookie contract in 2022. Releasing him would hand the Vikings a cap penalty worth slightly over $2.2 million in addition to his cap hit. Adofo-Mensah has some cap space remaining but would surely prefer to keep it instead of spending it on a player who isn’t on the team.
The 24-year-old enters a crucial period of his career. He has roughly five weeks with plenty of practice sessions and three preseason games until the roster is trimmed to 53 players. Convincing the coaches and the front office to buy in for another year must be his goal.
Editor’s Note: Information from Over the Cap and Pro Football Reference helped with this article.
Kwesi Sent a Message
Janik Eckardt is a football fan who likes numbers and stats. The Vikings became his favorite team despite their quarterback at the time, Christian Ponder. He is a walking soccer encyclopedia, loves watching sitcoms, and prefers Classic rock over other genres. Follow him on Twitter if you like the Vikings: @JanikEckardt