Key Takeaways:
– Minnesota Vikings’ safety Lewis Cine is now at risk of not making the forthcoming roster.
– Sports analyst Alec Lewis predicts that Cine will be cut.
– The Vikings may have to incur a dead cap of $6.79 million if they decide to release Cine.
– Cine faces competition from the likes of Theo Jackson, who is now considered a future option for the Vikings.
– The 2022 draft entrants, including Cine, are yet to secure significant roles in Minnesota Vikings’ team composition.
Under-the-Spotlight: Lewis Cine’s Uncertain Future with the Vikings
The future of safety Lewis Cine with the Minnesota Vikings appears to be hanging in the balance. Despite being given two more years with the team, the former first-round pick might find it tough to secure a spot on this year’s deeper roster.
Alec Lewis of The Athletic recently put together a projection of the Vikings’ depth chart post-minicamp. According to him, Cine might get the boot due to an overcrowded lineup. As Lewis explained, Cine could be deemed surplus to requirements because the team is likely to advance with just five safeties this season, against the six in the previous year.
Over the course of the 2023 season, Cine sat out several games and participated minimally in one. The decision to release him would come at a cost for the Vikings — a dead cap of $6.79 million due to Cine’s fully guaranteed salaries for the 2024 and 2025 seasons.
Emergence of Theo Jackson as a Contender
Adding to Cine’s worries is the rise of Theo Jackson, who is seen as the successor to veteran safety Harrison Smith. In a previous mailbag segment on The Athletic, Lewis highlighted that Cine was losing ground to 25-year-old Jackson, whom the Minnesota Vikings roped in after the Tennessee Titans waived him.
Having clocked 126 defensive snaps across 15 games, Jackson is already rated as the No. 4 safety in the roster. On the contrary, Cine has had a rough outing, playing only eight snaps in one game in the last season.
Tough Competition from the 2022 Draft Class
The 2022 draft picks haven’t quite lived up to expectations for the Vikings, and Cine is no exception. Cine and fellow cornerback Andrew Booth Jr. are struggling to establish themselves in the secondary. Another 2022 draftee, linebacker Brian Asamoah, once showed promise but was supplanted by Ivan Pace Jr. last season.
Interestingly, guard Ed Ingram is the only player from the 2022 draft to have consistently held a starting position.
Toward a Rebuilt Vikings Team
As the dust of the 2022 class’s impact is settling, it’s clear the Vikings have been able to amass a talented pool of players through smart drafting and free-agent spending. But this also means difficult decisions about maintaining a balanced and potent roster. This is a promising problem, as the team rebuild offers hope for fruitful seasons in the future. Still, the Minnesota Vikings must navigate the imminent impasse they face if they hope to fully utilize their revamped lineup.
Fellow Vikings fans, we continue to keep a close eye on the developments. Stay tuned for all the latest Minnesota Vikings news and updates.