Lewis Cine could be cut by the Minnesota Vikings, and his services could be used by the Baltimore Ravens and New Orleans Saints.
Lewis Cine, a former first-round pick and safety, may be dismissed by the Minnesota Vikings following two disappointing seasons. In the 2022 NFL Draft, the Georgia product was chosen with the 32nd overall choice and was expected to become the next great cornerstone of Minnesota’s secondary. Rather, Cine played in just three games as a rookie and had trouble getting on the field prior to sustaining a leg injury that ended his season. He only played eight defensive snaps in the entire 2023 season, so it was more of the same.
Despite only having played in two seasons, ESPN’s Kevin Seifert believes that the former first-round choice may be on the roster bubble because there is no obvious path to playing time. With so little game film, it’s difficult to judge Lewis Cine’s quality precisely. Should the Vikings be unable to accommodate him on their roster, the Baltimore Ravens or New Orleans Saints might be willing to take a chance on the undervalued first-round pick.
Vikings Might Remove Lewis from the Film; Ravens and Saints Might Be Interested
Kyle Hamilton and Marcus Williams are two above-average safeties for the Baltimore Ravens. The Ravens could use a third option even though these two make up one of the top starting safety tandems in the league. No team runs more three-safety looks than John Harbaugh’s, yet the team still hasn’t found a suitable Geno Stone replacement. Jamal Adams visited the team, indicating that they may be looking for a backup safety. Lewis Cine, if cut, might be this team’s ideal low-risk, medium-reward addition.
Although Adams was once among the league’s top safeties, aging has taken its toll on the veteran. The former All-Pro is little more than a glorified linebacker at this point in his career and a liability whenever he isn’t in the box. Conversely, Lewis Cine offers a far greater variety of results. The cut candidate could not be a good fit for the NFL, or the Ravens might be able to develop the skill that made him a first-round selection all those years ago. In any case, his upside clearly warrants a spot on the practice squad or in the back of the roster, and he shouldn’t cost too much.
Saints Increase Their Insurance
The Saints have a potent secondary, but the second safety spot is where they clearly lack depth. This squad is still searching for a suitable Marcus Maye replacement, even if Tyrann Mathieu is still a starter-caliber player. Roderic Teamer, a former Raider, recently inked a new contract with New Orleans, but he is merely a backup player. Lewis Cine may be headed for backup duty as well, but if the Vikings cut him, New Orleans should take a chance on a top-tier player.
There is a disclaimer on New Orleans’s current cap space of little over $12 million. The Saints should not pay a free agent like as Justin Simmons top dollar because they are way over the projected 2025 salary cap due to years and years of restructures. Lewis Cine, should the Vikings cut him, might be the best find available, but they’ll need to search for gems in the rough.
