For those of you who may have already forgotten, the Vikings drafted Cine with the No. 31 pick overall, in April of 2022, after trading out of No. 12 overall. Not only did Kwesi kill all the great vibes inside the Vikings draft room and draft party… he then finished an underwhelming night by selecting one of the biggest draft busts in franchise history.

Where is Lewis Cine these days? He’s in Buffalo. That’s where he landed after the Vikings waived him at the end of the 2024 NFL preseason. Upon his departure, it was originally believed he was signing with the New York Jets. But he was not a part of the London loss vs Minnesota, over the weekend, which led to the firing of their head coach.

Former Minnesota Vikings safety Lewis Cine now plays linebacker

Before his joining the Jets became official, Cine changed his mind and signed with the Buffalo Bills. And now, it sounds like he is having second thoughts about the position he plays, too. Actually, his new team is having second thoughts.

According to Nick Sabato (Niagara Gazette), the Bills approached Lewis Cine about changing positions a few weeks ago, and he has been working as a Buffalo inside linebacker ever since.

Cine felt he needed a fresh start after two frustrating seasons with the Vikings. Little did he know, that would include a position change as the Bills have spent the last few weeks giving Cine a try at linebacker.

Early in his stint with the Bills, defensive coordinator Bobby Babich approached Cine about switching from safety to linebacker. … The Bills like their linebackers to be small and athletic so they can match up with running backs, linebackers and occasionally a receiver.

Nick Sabato – Niagara Gazette

Related: Minnesota Vikings Cut Bait with TE, Promote RB to Active Roster

Unlike the Vikings, Buffalo plays a base- 4-3 defense, but mostly lineup out of their nickel package, with 5 defensive backs on the field, and just two linebackers. Lewis Cine told the Niagara Gazette that this is the first time he has ever played linebacker. He and the Bills are selling to Sabato that “football instincts are football instincts”.

Method behind Buffalo Bills’ madness

There are so many differences in going from safety to linebacker. One pointed out in the above story, that I found very insightful, is a safety’s first step, after the ball is snapped, vs a linebacker. A safety is almost always going back, where as a linebacker’s first movement is much more dictated by the type of play being run on offense.

Cine is placing his bet on the NFL not being quite as ruthless as it is rumored to be. He and the Bills seem to have an understanding. If he is going to change positions, and set back his development even further, they have to give him time on roster to learn how to be a linebacker. Patience the Vikings did not have.

Cine feels the Bills have embraced him and he wants to return the favor by investing in what they are trying to teach.

“I’ve shown that I’m willing to learn and I pick up things kind of fast when it comes to movement and everything, but there’s obviously the learning portion of schemes and all that,” Cine said. “Learning the fronts, that doesn’t just happen in a day. That part, I know they’re being patient, but at the same time, I’ve shown I’m a ballplayer and obviously that’s going to continue.”

Niagara Gazette

Skeptical optimism…

I don’t think this is a horrible idea for the Buffalo Bills or Lewis Cine. I do wonder, however, if the end goal is feasible. If Lewis Cine had shown Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores that he had any potential as a linebacker, you’d think staying with the Vikings would have made the most sense.

Flores’ defense in Minnesota literally has a hybrid safety/linebacker role that they call their “big nickel” package, and the Vikings use it all the time. It’s Josh Metellus’ primary position. Cine came out of Georgia as a hard-hitting safety, who needed time to develop.

Related: 6 Biggest Questions Facing the Minnesota Vikings During Their Bye Week

Flores clearly didn’t think he had any hope of making that transition, otherwise he most certainly would have tried, given what the Vikings invested in Cine when they drafted him in the first round. Hopefully I am wrong. Who knows what Lewis would have been, had his leg not snapped in half a couple of years ago. If he can find a way to salvage his career, that’d be a cool redemption story.

Former Minnesota Vikings Safety Lewis Cine changes his mind

After clearing waivers on Wednesday, it was reported that Cine was signing with the New York Jets. Then, Thursday morning, we found out that he has changed his mind, and is now heading to Buffalo to sign with the Bills, according to new reports.

Yeah… about that. 😜

The #Bills are actually signing former #Vikings first-round safety Lewis Cine to their practice squad, per me and @MikeGarafolo. Many thought Cine would land with the #Jets.

But he’s flying to Buffalo now, set to sign with the Bills PS. pic.twitter.com/vzARJl6yV3

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 29, 2024

In 10 total games with the Minnesota Vikings, Lewis Cine provided just one assisted tackle. That is the only mark he has on his career box score, so far. While at Georgia, Lewis Cine was a wrecking ball safety who wasn’t afraid to lay the lumber.

His statistical totals, however, do not jump off the page either. In three seasons, he managed 145 tackles (73 in his final season), 2 interceptions, 14 passes defended and 3.5 tackles for loss. No sacks, no forced fumbles.

Related: “Watch Out” – NFL Sleeping on Vikings New Running Back?

Of note, Vikings play-by-play radio voice, Paul Allen (KFAN), first reported on Wednesday that Lewis Cine was heading to San Francisco, to sign with the 49ers. That was before news broke that he was landing with the Jets, and two steps prior to his decision (for now) to sign with Buffalo.

At the time of his trade, Minnesota was left searching for answers. Diggs vacated the top wide receiver spot, and Mike Zimmer’s offense was suddenly without a significant playmaker. The come up resulted in Justin Jefferson being selected with the pick Minnesota acquired, and the outcome could not have played out more perfectly.

Former Minnesota Vikings, Buffalo Bills WR Stefon Diggs compliments Houston Texans organization and new teammates while throwing shade at old ones

Once Stefon Diggs got sick of Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills, he began his patented charade of cryptic tweets and social media pettiness. His former employer was forced to move on from a clearly dissolving situation, and Diggs landed with the Houston Texans. In his first news conference following the trade, Diggs called the Texans a “breath of fresh air”, but that wasn’t all.

“They’re very welcoming. Very open arms, and I just feel like it’s important for me to be a part of things like that. It’s genuine. You thrive in that space. You thrive in a space where you’re loved. Thrive in a space of being around those who truly care and truly want to see you win.”

Stefon Diggs on why he is so comfortable with Houston Texans vs Buffalo Bills

Diggs’ new teammates may be all of the things he says above, and the Houston organization may be offering milkshakes everyday when he walks in. But it’s quite clear, in the above quote, that not only was Stefon using the opportunity to praise his new teammates and new team, but also to throw shade at everyone back with the Bills.

The main thing ‼️ pic.twitter.com/8TjYLgba3R

— Houston Texans (@HoustonTexans) June 4, 2024

As has always been the case with Diggs, he is saying all of the right things while the situation is new and fresh. His talent is undeniable, but this cycle and personality trait has repeated itself too many times to be taken for face value.

Related: Justin Jefferson Took Anti-Diva Route to New Contract and it Paid Dividends

Stroud, the impressive 2023 rookie, likes what he has seen so far from Diggs but the new teammates are obviously still in a honeymoon phase. And he piled right on the “Diggs didn’t have what he needed in Buffalo” message that his new wide receiver was trying to get across, didn’t he?

“Diggs has come in and been a leader, which I’m proud of him for, just really has been unselfish and wanted to see other guys eat. That was his main thing. He wanted to be around other dogs, and he stepped into that role where there is a dog everywhere. He looks right, he looks left, there is going to be a dog. He wanted that and that’s what we bring to the table. He’s been nothing but amazing so far, and I am very excited to work with him.”

Texans QB C.J. Stroud talks about new teammate Stefon Diggs

one of wun 🫡 pic.twitter.com/WPayM4IXHT

— Houston Texans (@HoustonTexans) May 30, 2024

Sure, Stefon Diggs is a great teammate right now…

If there’s a way for last season’s offensive rookie of the year to have his momentum quickly derailed, the presence of Stefon Diggs could certainly be it. Diggs is joining a wide receiver room that had productive talents in the form of Nico Collins and Tank Dell.

Both of them will now be forced to take a back seat to the veteran, but to what extent the newcomer is ok with them being involved remains to be seen. Sure, he’s a great guy now… but for how long?

How the unselfishness carries over when the lights turn on and adversity hits is something that has plagued Diggs everywhere he has gone. Suggesting that the visible sideline frustrations are simply a reflection of a desire to win would be sugarcoating it for Diggs, but that’s at least what he has attempted to do out of the gate in Texas.

Related: Justin Jefferson is not Stefon Diggs

The new wideout joins former Vikings teammate Danielle Hunter in grabbing a new uniform this offseason, and it remains to be seen how things will work out for both of them. Hunter obviously has a level of knowledge surrounding his personality as a teammate, and he has to be hoping for a better ending than what transpired in Minnesota.

Gable Steveson signed by Buffalo Bills

After a failed attempt with the WWE, Steveson is trying to swap sports. And today, after numerous workouts with several NFL teams, the former Gopher legend has officially signed a contract with the Buffalo Bills, where he will try to make their roster on the defensive line.

Gable Steveson, an Olympic gold medalist and one of the most dominant college wrestlers in NCAA history, is signing with the Bills, per his agent Carter Chow.

Steveson now will try to join Bob Hayes as the only athlete to win a Super Bowl ring and an Olympic gold medal. pic.twitter.com/TfJn4Cd7B1

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) May 31, 2024

According to Schefter, his workout in Buffalo was the first time the 6’1″, 275 lb athletic freak has ever put on cleats. That’s a pretty remarkable fact that underscores his natural athleticism and raw talent.

Steveson had an impressive high school wrestling career at Apple Valley, winning four state titles and achieving an incredible 171-match winning streak. His success led him to commit to wrestling for the University of Minnesota.

Related: Do the Minnesota Vikings Have a New Starting Cornerback?

During his time as a Golden Gopher, he won three Big Ten championships and two NCAA championships. In 2021, he won a gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics in one of the most memorable wrestling finishes in Olympic history.

College wrestling legend and Olympic gold medalist Gable Steveson is signing with the Buffalo Bills. Truly a freak athlete.

pic.twitter.com/sChgFCR7FX

— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) May 31, 2024

Steveson signed with WWE in 2021, making appearances at SummerSlam and SmackDown. However, on May 3rd, less than a month ago, he was released from his WWE contract.

Related: Gophers’ Gable Steveson Talks Olympic Trials and WWE After Winning National Title

This prompted him to explore opportunities in the NFL. Is it possible Steveson can make a transition from wrestling to NFL football having never put on spikes before? I guess we will see…

But a video was released on the various Minnesota Vikings’ social media channels, Wednesday, that might be even better than the game itself. Featured in the clip is longtime Vikings radio play-by-play voice, Paul Allen. It’s a 2-minute rollercoaster ride of emotions that you need to ride.

Vikings play-by-play guy Paul Allen was filmed during Minnesota’s insane win against Buffalo and it was awesome. pic.twitter.com/ixgRMh1LuY

— Jimmy Traina (@JimmyTraina) November 16, 2022

Who is Paul Allen?

Paul Allen has been the Vikings’ play-by-play radio voice since 1998. He also calls horse races at Canterbury Park in Shakopee and hosts a sports radio show that runs on 100.3 KFAN from 9 AM to NOON, Monday through Friday. He’s also dabbled in calling Minnesota Wild hockey.

If you have heard a famous Minnesota Vikings call, like the Minneapolis Miracle or Brett Favre interception, then you’ve heard PA’s voice before. Allen is from Washington DC and grew up in California. But he appears to be a Minnesota lifer going forward. He loves the Vikings and he loves Canterbury. So, where else would he go?

So, yes, he could easily spend his summers elsewhere, tucked into a pontoon boat up north without the grind of four-days-a-week race calls through the dog days of summer.

“But this place is so deeply rooted in the fabric of who I am,” Allen said.

The Athletic

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

That doesn’t guarantee a start but it sure appears that’s where this mystery is heading.

#Bills QB Josh Allen was limited in practice on Friday, but that appeared to be enough. He's set to be on the field. https://t.co/fyeG2JDEzc

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) November 12, 2022

#Bills QB Josh Allen is able to grip a football and he did some throwing on Friday. That gave enough confidence to proceed without elevating Matt Barkley from the practice squad and put Allen in line to play against the #Vikings despite an elbow sprain.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) November 12, 2022

Keep an eye on the betting spread of this game, as we get closer to game time. After news of Josh Allen’s injury hit the internet earlier this week, the Bills went from 7.5 point favorites, down to the 3 point favorites they are today.

If Allen really is going to start on Sunday then you have to think that spread starts to get larger pretty quickly. If more news comes out, this blog will be updated.

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

But we’ve never gotten a sure answer on exactly who his grievances were against. Was Kirk Cousins not looking to him enough or was Mike Zimmer’s run-first, don’t take risks mindest the problem? It’s likely a combination of many factors.

Kirk Cousins: ‘Wasn’t Me’

No matter, Diggs was eventually shipped off to the Buffalo Bills where he and Josh Allen have flourished together. So with the Minnesota Vikings playing in Buffalo this weekend, Kirk Cousins was asked by media if he took Diggs’ trade requests personally, back then.

That’s when Cousins went off-script a bit, confessing to the room what Stefon told him “way, way, way” early on in his trade request process, back then. That whoever his grievances were aimed at, it wasn’t the starting QB who Diggs had a problem with (transcript below video).

Stefon Diggs told Kirk Cousins back in 2019 that he wasn't the problem in Minnesota. #Vikings pic.twitter.com/aw9U4XWK8n

— Minnesota Sports Fan (@realmnsportsfan) November 10, 2022

Reporter: “Do you take it personally as a quarterback when your wide receiver wants to explore other opportunities like [Stefon Diggs did]?

Cousins: “[Diggs] made it pretty clear from the start that, [his trade request] had nothing to do with [me]. We talked about it. Uhh… In pro sports there’s a level that players need to protect themselves and lookout for themselves and their careers. I understand that and everybody in this locker room does so I understood where he was coming from.”

Reporter: “How did {Diggs} make it clear that [the trade request] wasn’t about you at all?”

Cousins: “Uhh, he told me, ‘it has nothing to do with you’. And I said, ‘OK, I understand’. That was how it happened.”

Reporter: “Did he call you like the day of the trade?”

Cousins: “No, months before that. No, I’m talking way way way back. I mean, he missed a week of practice, I think.”

Kirk Cousins Press Conference on Wednesday

Kirk Indulges in Diggs Trade History

This wasn’t the happy-go-lucky interview we’ve seen Kirk do a lot of recently. This exchange gets a little bit awkward, possibly even hostile. Especially when Cousins is asked how Diggs communicated to Kirk that he wasn’t the problem (2nd quote above).

Cousins would go on later in the press conference to put a timeline on Diggs 2019 trade request and its aftermath. According to Kirk, Stefon played with the Vikings for multiple weeks after first requesting his trade.

He reminded media that Stefon skipped a week of practice back in 2019 and that’s when he made his desires clear to the front office. Kirk said that he was thankful Spielman refused to trade him immediately, instead waiting until the offseason to deal him.

Win/Win Trade

That’s because, if you remember, #14 stacked a bunch of good games together from week 4 to week 13, while Adam Thielen was dealing with injuries. Diggs helped will the Vikings into the playoffs that season, where they beat the Saints in round one.

As Kirk Cousins pointed out multiple times in his presser, this trade is one of those rare scenarios where everybody involved went home a winner. The Minnesota Vikings got rid of an unhappy commodity and used the first round pick they got in return to draft Justin Jefferson.

LIVE: @KirkCousins8 speaks to the media. https://t.co/sTNhBPdqpZ

— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) November 9, 2022

Stefon Diggs got a new employer and an offense that has thrown the ball to him more often than any other receiver in football. 2.5 years later, both teams have just one loss on their record and are matched up for the best game of the weekend on Sunday afternoon.

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

The Minnesota Vikings will play real football today.

Sam Bradford will trade in his red jersey, that stops anyone from getting near him without spontaneously combusting, for a purple and white one that has no such spells cast on it. We will likely only see He, Stefon Diggs and Kyle Rudolph, for one or two drives, before they throw the baseball hats on for the night. A good first drive would likely be it. While they are out there, here is what to watch for:

• Starting Offensive Line: Every snap will be scrutinized since we will only have a handful or two. Keep a close eye on the center spot. The rookie Pat Elflein probably won’t get the start, in favor of Nick Easton, but things can change depending on how this game goes. Riley Reiff is NOT making the trip to Buffalo as he recovers from his injury. However, Remmers will hold down the right side for the first time in purple.
• Dalvin Cook vs. Professionals: According to the Pioneer Press, Cook is the Vikings’ starting running back. That means we should see him get plenty of run in the first couple drives. Zimmer won’t want Bradford dropping back too many times behind an O-Line we know nothing about. We have all been drooling at his highlight tapes but are yet to see him against the best of the best. Today will be our first look.
• Will Bradford Go Deep? Really, this doesn’t matter. It is a preseason game that means nothing and he will only have a couple drives to do it. However, I am so sick of hearing the Bradford haters put him down because of the dink-and-dunk mentality of last year. We all know Bradford has one of the best deep balls in the game, but had no protection last year, and I would love to see him get some time tonight to use one.

The defense of the Vikings is pretty much in place, and will be for the foreseeable future thanks to all the extensions that have been given out the last couple weeks, and even back to last year with the Harrison Smith extension. If you were wondering, this was the right move for Spielman. Read this article from Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com:

#Vikings are doing quite a good job of making extensions sound far more impressive than they really are https://t.co/DpVHFz0c80

— Jason_OTC (@Jason_OTC) August 8, 2017

Zimmer said he thought the defense would have been ready to play a real game 3 or 4 days ago. So what should we be watching for on defense?

• George Edwards, Vikings Defensive Coordinator, will be calling plays: This is what the Vikings are hoping to in the regular season too, allowing Zimmer to focus on the game and what he can do to help more in the aggregate, of the team, compared to focusing on the defense.
• Who will be the 3rd Linebacker: This could be the biggest question, going into the season, for the defense. Now, the 3rd LB isn’t as big as it used to be since offenses run 3 WR sets so often, which forces defenses to play with a 3rd CB instead of the extra LB. The candidates for the job are Emmanuel Lamur, Ben Gedeon, and Edmond Robinson.
• Mackensie Alexander Will Get His Shot in the Nickel: When that 3rd LB comes off the field in favor of another CB, to help in pass coverage, Mike Zimmer is hoping he can rely on Alexander to be that guy. If not, Terrance Newman will be waiting to take over the job. Unless injuries come into play, or we see BIG regression, the Vikings have plenty of depth at CB.

So, once the starters leave the game, which will likely be less time than it took you to read to this point, what else is there to look for? A lot.

• Michael Floyd vs. Second Team CBs: From all reports, Michael Floyd has been able to stand out at camp against one of the better secondaries in the league. Now, he will get plenty of playing time against a bunch of backups. Floyd, because of his DUI, will miss the first 4 weeks of the regular season, due to a suspension. When he does get back, the Vikings are hoping for him to step into the slot and be one of Bradford’s safety nets as a guys with the experience and success he has had. Well, in the preseason, we will see him get a lot of run as he heads into his suspension. He should look dominant against lesser defenders.
• Who Will Win the Backup QB Job: Taylor Heinicke has been raising some eyebrows at camp. It seems clear to most that he is trying to prove himself after he decided to punch inanimate objects before the season started last year, ending his season before it started. He is battling veteran, Case Keenum, who the Vikings brought in during the offseason.
• Special Team Battles: The Vikings brought in Marshall Koehn to push Kai Forbath in the place-kicker battle. Koehn has a big leg so look for that. Ryan Quigley was also brought in to push the envelope for Taylor Symmank, at punter. Watching these guys battle it out might be worth keeping one eye open while you sit on Insta, after the first half of the game is over.

It is just preseason. But it is football. Large humans tackling other large humans as they try to move an oddly shaped ball from their side of the field to the other, in 10 yard increments.

CAN’T WAIT!

Eric Strack
Minnesota Sports Fan
@RealMNSportsFan

Sources: StarTribune, Pioneer Press