It's not often that teams are willing to cut their losses with a first-round pick and release him before his rookie deal expires, but that seems to be looking more and more likely for the Vikings as the summer progresses.
According to ESPN, safety Lewis Cine, Minnesota's first-round selection in 2022, "might have the toughest chance of earning a roster spot" among the team's top picks from that year.
The start to Cine's NFL career hasn't been ideal. In 2022, he suffered a compound fracture injury to his lower left leg, ending his rookie season in Week 4. He then registered just one tackle in seven games played last season, almost exclusively on special teams.
That has not set him up to play a large role in the Vikings defense in 2024 and is the reason he has been working with the third string during offseason practices.
"During the practices open to reporters, Cine appeared to be no better than the sixth safety on the roster, if you include all-purpose defender Josh Metellus," ESPN writes. "Reserves Theo Jackson and Jay Ward, not to mention starters Harrison Smith and Camryn Bynum, were all working ahead of him."
Cine may have a small chance turn his career around, however.
The first thing he must do is stay healthy, but if he can do that, he may be given the opportunity to prove he can return to the level of play that made him a first-round pick just two years ago.
Cine helped deliver Georgia a national championship in 2021 after amassing 73 tackles, one interception and nine passes defensed. That type of production would help his stay in Minnesota last much longer.
For now, however, his contract may do most of the talking.
Cine's 2024 base salary of $1.7M is fully guaranteed, so cutting him wouldn't save the Vikings any salary cap space.
That alone could influence them to keep him around for emergency depth and special teams, but there is a scenario where Minnesota simply does not view Cine as one of its 53 best players and he is gone before the start of the season.
