Vikings Up Against it Trying to Trade Lewis Cine

The Minnesota Vikings have featured Lewis Cine over their final pair of preseason games and it results in different results. After Cine showed out against the Cleveland Browns, he was much more of an issue against the Philadelphia Eagles. A trade of the former first round pick makes sense, but it isn’t so straightforward.

Is a Lewis Cine trade logical for the Minnesota Vikings?

It seems unlikely that the Minnesota Vikings will find a place to use safety Lewis Cine. He was on the field for just 2% of defensive snaps last season. Brian Flores has a safety position flush with better options. Cine could benefit from a change of scenery, but one still has to present itself. ESPN’s Bill Barnwell isn’t so sure that one will.

“At this point, a change of scenery would benefit Cine, who doesn’t seem likely to earn meaningful snaps in Brian Flores’ defense. It would be a surprise if any team was willing to pay even the $4 million in guarantees left on his contract, so the Vikings might need to eat some money to acquire a draft pick for him. Given Cine’s injury history, a trade might not be possible.”

Bill Barnwell on Minnesota Vikings safety Lewis Cine

With only ten defensive snaps under his belt, Cine hasn’t been able to establish anything during regular season action. His preseason work is limited in what can be projected from it, and any new organization would be acquiring little more than a dart throw.

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If trading Cine is what Minnesota wants to do, they are running out of time.

Minnesota Vikings need to turn the page on Lewis Cine

Even if the Minnesota Vikings can’t find a trade partner for Lewis Cine, it stands to reason that the safety needs to move on. He is a cut candidate for Kevin O’Connell, and his presence the past two seasons hasn’t resulted in any substantial outcomes. Maybe someone else is able to extra value from the former first round pick, but Minnesota doesn’t need to keep trying.

Lewis Cine, safety for the Vikings, is in desperate need of a change of scenery. Brandon Beane should absolutely look into the 2022 1st round pick out of Georgia that’s now healthy. #BillsMafia pic.twitter.com/xxk2BVz6fo

— Jon Helmkamp (@JonHelmkamp) August 25, 2024

The Vikings will be in a situation where replacing Harrison Smith becomes reality. Cam Bynum and Josh Metellus are both next in line there. Cine is buried behind other options on the depth chart, and any future development won’t have him emerging as a starting candidate for the Vikings.

It’s unfortunate that Kwesi Adofo-Mensah missed so badly on his first ever draft pick. Of course injury has changed what the expectations may have been for Cine as well. Regardless, all sides appear better off by moving on from one another.

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As they head in to Week 1, it would be a small shock to see Lewis Cine on the Vikings 53-man roster.