Former Vikings First Round Pick Resurfaces With Workout

If there is one thing that Minnesota Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah could take back from his first three to four years it would undoubtedly be his first draft, back in 2022. His entire draft record is lackluster, at best, but hopefully things never get as bad as it did that summer.

As of today, the MN Vikings 53-man roster has ONE player on it who originated via that 2022 class — WR3 Jalen Nailor (6th rd). Ty Chandler is still (barely) hanging on, but he’s currently on the injured list, thus not on the 53-man.

But far and away, the worst mistake of Kwesi’s first draft came when he passed on (among other talents) now All-Pro safety Kyle Hamilton (Ravens), wide receivers Garrett Wilson (Jets), Chris Olave and Jameson Williams, in order to drop 20 spots and, at No. 32 overall, select Georgia safety Lewis Cine.

Patriots bring in former MN Vikings safety Lewis Cine

Cine, 26, never sniffed starting reps on the Vikings defense. Eventually, at the end of 2024 training camp, Minnesota decided to cut their losses. Since, the former first round pick has bounced around the league, making stops in New York, Buffalo, and most recently, Philadelphia.

In August, he was released by the Eagles so they could pickup Sam Howell. Cine then landed a a tryout with the Indianapolis Colts, but that didn’t end in a contract. On Tuesday, however, he got another shot, this time with the New England Patriots.

The Patriots had free-agent DBs Marcus Banks (Mississippi State), Lewis Cine (Georgia) and Tre Hawkins (Old Dominion) in for tryouts.

Cine (Vikings, Bills, Eagles) has local roots from Everett, Mass.

— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) October 21, 2025

Related: Let the Kirk Cousins + Vikings Trade Rumors Commence!

Cine finished his high school career in Texas, but his prep career began in Massachusetts, so he has familiarity with the New England area. The Patriots actually worked out three defensive backs on Tuesday and presumably have just one spot available.

In two seasons with the Vikings, Cine played just ten defensive snaps. He suffered a gruesome injury against the New Orleans Saints in London and his career has never been the same. With Buffalo in 2024, Cine didn’t see the field on defense, but logged 16 special teams snaps.

Cine was activated from the Eagles practice squad on January 8, 2025. Philadelphia went on to win the Super Bowl last season but Cine never saw action. If the Patriots offer Cine a contract, and he sees the field, it will be his first action since December 8, 2024.

The difference between Jay Ward making the roster and Lewis Cine missing it.

h/t to @LukeBraunNFL for pointing out this sequence on Locked on Vikings. pic.twitter.com/1MHOzjkGGA

— Matt Fries (@FriesFootball) August 27, 2024

Vikings paying for Kwesi Adofo-Mensah’s mistakes?

The Minnesota Vikings are largely built to win now, after going gangbusters in the trenches during free agency last offseason. But so far this season, we are finding out what can happen when some of those spendy free agent pickups do not live up to expectations and your team does not have the draft talent necessary to make up for those misses.

Obviously, it’s still early in the season so there is plenty of time for just like Javon Hargrave, Jonathan Allen and (maybe) Ryan Kelly to provide the type of impact they are being paid for. Adofo-Mensah needed to find aging veterans to fill holes he was unable to with developmental picks.