Lewis Cine Could Be on the Move
In the 2022 Draft, Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah tried to find a new safety partner (and successor) for Harrison Smith. Instead of selecting unanimous top safety prospect Kyle Hamilton, he tried to secure extra draft capital and traded down 20 spots. Ultimately, Lewis Cine, a safety out of Georgia, was his selection.
Lewis Cine Could Be on the Move
Cine’s tenure with the Vikings and overall NFL career haven’t been success stories at all. The defender barely played football in his first three seasons, and this year, he hasn’t even found a team to play for.
The last part could change, however, as the Indianapolis Colts gave the former national champion a tryout, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC2.
Destin Adams of A to Z Sports explained, “Despite their strong start, the Colts do have some problem areas on their roster. The Colts are open to making additions if they feel it will improve their roster, and a recent workout was focused on their secondary. The team got a closer look at former first-round pick safety Lewis Cine and veteran CB Kendall Fuller.”
Fuller has collected a ton of experience in his NFL career. Adding Cine, meanwhile, would be a bet on the physical tools he displayed prior to his draft day, when he captained Georgia’s strong championship defense.
Expected to be the long-term solution at safety about 38 months ago, Cine couldn’t snatch Cam Bynum’s starting job, then Joshua Metellus replaced Harrison Smith due to an injury. Now we know that Bynum and Metellus are ballers, but all we saw back in 2022 was that Cine was not even one of the top three safeties, which was alarming.
In Week 4 of his rookie campaign, Cine suffered a gruesome leg injury that would cost him the remainder of the year. When he returned to practice in the following offseason, defensive coordinator Ed Donatell, who drafted him for his scheme, was gone, and Brian Flores was calling the shots. He elevated Metellus to the starting lineup and assembled his trio without the sophomore.
Cine was mostly inactive that year. Last preseason, he showed some promise, but ultimately couldn’t earn a roster spot. Once he was cut, the Buffalo Bills added him to their practice squad. The Philadelphia Eagles signed him to their active roster in January, and he became the latest former Georgia defender, reuniting with half his defensive teammates from the 2021 title squad. Cine didn’t play that game, but he’s officially a Super Bowl champion.
He was axed after the preseason to make room for ex-Vikings passer Sam Howell, whom the Eagles acquired via trade. The Vikings had previously signed Carson Wentz and no longer needed Howell’s services.
With the Vikings, Cine appeared in ten games and logged ten defensive snaps and 118 on special teams. He also suited up for the Bills once, playing another 16 reps on special teams.
For now, the Colts haven’t given him a deal. Cine just turned 26 years old last weekend. Indeed, neither the injury nor the change in defensive philosophy helped him grow into the best version of himself. Fair or not, in the Vikings’ history books, he’ll go down as a disappointment.
He now desperately needs a new chance to be at least part of a practice squad or the depths of a 53-man roster. Usually, first-rounders get nearly an unlimited number of opportunities, and Cine will sooner rather than later be signed by one of the 32 teams.
Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Pro Football Reference helped with this article.