Lewis Cine’s Career Just Took Another Turn
Things have gone from bad to worse for former Vikings first-round pick Lewis Cine.
Just weeks after signing with the UFL’s DC Defenders in hopes of reviving his career, Cine is already off the roster — another setback in what has become one of the most disappointing draft stories of the Kwesi Adofo-Mensah era.
The UFL communicated the move on social media.
They didn’t offer an explanation.
The Defenders could have removed him because they didn’t think he was good enough. It would be comparable to a simple cut in the NFL. Cine was waived by the Vikings following the 2024 preseason.
Another option is that Cine just decided to pursue other ventures. Maybe he has an NFL job lined up or simply doesn’t believe the UFL is the best next step in his career or life.
James Larsen of Pro Football Newsroom commented, “The biggest name here, undoubtedly, is Lewis Cine. Cine is a former first-round NFL draft pick with the Minnesota Vikings. His NFL career never truly took off, as injuries kept him off the field the first couple of years. It appeared that Lewis was ready to get back to the gridiron with the DC Defenders, but has opted to step away from the UFL – at least for now.”
It’s unclear whether that is a wild guess or sourced information.
Either way, the UFL may have been his last real shot at getting back to the NFL, and even that door now appears closed.
When the Vikings pulled the trigger in the 2022 Draft, they expected Cine to be the long-term answer at the safety position — a successor for the aging Harrison Smith. Since then, Smith has appeared in 62 games, Cine in 11.
Coming out of Georgia, Cine looked like a safe first-round bet with elite athleticism and a national title résumé. It just never translated to the NFL.
Early in his career, the defender struggled to beat Cam Bynum for the starting role next to Smith and even Joshua Metellus was the first man off the bench. Now we know that those two guys are fantastic football players, but back in the day, it was a red flag for the first-rounder.
Cine was limited to reps on special teams and in one of those reps, disaster struck. Cine suffered a leg fracture in London, ending his rookie season in October. The next problem in his development was the switch at defensive coordinator from Ed Donatell to Brian Flores. Cine was drafted for one scheme and had to learn a new one, which he possibly didn’t fit as well.
After another year of special teams work, Cine was cut ahead of the 2024 season. He showed some flashes in the 2024 preseason but not enough to make the team in a crowded safety room. A short stint on the practice squad in Buffalo was followed by some time with the Philadelphia Eagles. Technically, Cine is a Super Bowl champion. The defensive back was released last August and hasn’t been on the field since.
So far, the defender has appeared in 11 career games, making one tackle in ten defensive snaps and another 134 on special teams.
For a player once viewed as Harrison Smith’s successor, washing out of both the NFL and the UFL this quickly is a stunning fall. At this point, Cine’s path back to the league feels less like a comeback story and more like a long shot.
It remains to be seen what’s next for the 26-year-old. He won’t take the Jalen Redmond path and showcase his skills in the UFL, it seems.
Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Sports Reference helped with this article.