This Vikings Draft Pick Is Dangerously Close to Being a Bust (And No One’s Noticing)
When the Minnesota Vikings selected Lewis Cine with the 32nd overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, the organization believed it was securing a hard-hitting, versatile safety who could be a cornerstone in the secondary for years to come. Two seasons later, that belief is beginning to fade — and while few around the league are openly calling him a bust, the warning signs are flashing bright red.
Cine, a product of the University of Georgia’s vaunted national championship defense, came into the NFL with a reputation for physicality, elite range, and leadership. He was expected to challenge immediately for a starting role alongside veteran Harrison Smith. However, things haven’t gone according to plan.
In his rookie season, Cine saw limited action early and then suffered a gruesome compound fracture in his leg during a Week 4 game in London, cutting his debut campaign short. While the injury was no fault of his own, it marked the beginning of an unfortunate trend: Cine simply hasn’t been able to stay healthy or make a meaningful impact since.
Fast forward to the 2023 season, and Cine barely registered on the stat sheet. He was relegated mostly to special teams when active, and frequently found himself on the inactive list on game days. In a defensive backfield that was hungry for youth and athleticism, Cine failed to earn trust from defensive coordinator Brian Flores, who instead leaned on players like Camryn Bynum and Josh Metellus to carry the load.
Even more troubling is Cine’s status going into 2025. As offseason workouts and minicamp sessions unfold, Cine is buried on the depth chart. Reports out of Eagan suggest he’s still struggling to find consistency in coverage and lacks the explosive burst he showed in college. Meanwhile, the Vikings continue to invest in secondary help through free agency and the draft — a quiet but damning sign of their fading confidence in Cine’s development.
General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah’s draft strategy has emphasized traits and upside, and while Cine checked those boxes in college, his NFL translation has not materialized. In a league where first-round picks are expected to become at least solid starters by Year 3, Cine’s trajectory now looks dangerously off course.
To be fair, it’s not uncommon for players to take time to recover from major injuries. And Cine, by all accounts, has maintained a strong work ethic and attitude throughout his rehab and limited playing time. But the NFL is a results-driven league, and patience quickly wears thin — especially for first-rounders.
As the 2025 season looms, Cine faces a pivotal training camp. If he can’t carve out a role — even as a rotational defender — the Vikings may be forced to consider a hard truth: their top pick from 2022 might simply not fit the long-term vision for the defense.
For now, the bust label hasn’t stuck. But if things don’t turn around soon, it might become undeniable — and Vikings fans, as well as the front office, will have to reckon with another first-round miss.