Vikings Encouraged to Put 1 Guy on the Trade Block
On August 9, the Minnesota Vikings traded their former second-round draft choice, Andrew Booth Jr., to the Dallas Cowboys in exchange for their former third-rounder, Nahshon Wright. Neither had been expected to be on their old team’s finalized 53-man roster on August 27, so it was an attempt to swap players who hadn’t lived up to the draft expectations.
Vikings Encouraged to Put 1 Guy on the Trade Block
With cutdown day nearing, NFL teams are looking to relieve roster pressure by shipping away players on the roster bubble. That’s how the Vikings acquired Jalen Reagor in 2022 ‒ the move didn’t pay off for Minnesota, but it was a calculated risk, bringing in a reclamation project with the hope he can reach his potential.
Ryan Fowler from Bleacher Report assembled a list of players who should be on the trade block, nominating one player for each team. His suggestion for the Vikings was safety Lewis Cine, Saturday’s standout performer.
Fowler explained: “While injuries have limited his availability and development, when healthy, the cogs have failed to mesh for Cine within a youth-infused Vikings secondary. And similarly to the recent trade of Andrew Booth to the Dallas Cowboys, Cine could be the next former highly drafted Vikings secondary defender to find himself in new surroundings. It’s difficult to project where Cine’s snaps will come from this fall.”
“With Harrison Smith, Camryn Bynum, and emerging talent Josh Metellus all presumptively locked into contributing roles as multi-level defenders, Cine’s snaps could solely come on special teams. The team also drafted Jay Ward (LSU) in 2023, and recently agreed to terms with veteran Bobby McCain for added depth,” he continued.
Fowler didn’t even mention Theo Jackson, who has been earning praise ad nauseam and is considered to be the top backup safety in case of an injury, putting Cine in competition with Ward and McCain for the spots five through seven.
Ward has been working as a cornerback since the Vikings started to experience problems on the outside, remembering his college days at LSU, where he was used as a Swiss army knife. McCain was listed as the seventh safety on the unofficial depth chart, while Cine and Ward formed the third-string duo.
Fowler isn’t alone in his thought process. Fans and pundits have placed the third-year player on the proverbial chopping block throughout spring and summer after two years of barely contributing. Of course, the compound leg fracture, the change at the coordinator position, and the challenging competition in the safety room haven’t helped him in his journey.
The writer emphasised Cine’s trade value: “Cine still has value on the market, however, particularly for teams that entered the draft process with high marks on his game. There’s always teams that believe they can pull the best out of players that failed at their first NFL home, unlocking potential that failed to showcase in prior years.”
That value received another sweet boost when Cine excelled in Saturday’s preseason contest, producing ten tackles, one sack, and one interception. It’s easy to argue that his performance looked just as good, perhaps even better, than those numbers. The defender was sudden in his decisions, diagnosed plays with ease, and showcased his elite athleticism to get quickly to the ball.
It should be noted, though, that the Vikings might just keep him around instead of shipping him off for a late-round draft choice, hoping he could still turn into the player the regime hoped for when they made him their first draft choice in their tenure.
The Vikes kept six safeties last year, including Cine, Ward, and the top four guys. It remains to be seen whether or not the front office can pull that off again. Cine will certainly be one of the most fascinating names to watch in the upcoming days.
Fowler’s list also includes a trio of passers who might be relevant for the Vikings if they want to upgrade the depth behind Sam Darnold: Taylor Heinicke, Malik Willis, and Bailey Zappe.
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