Cutting a first-round draft pick after he played just 10 career games would be a major admission of a draft mistake, but that’s what the Vikings might do with safety Lewis Cine.
Cine, a 2022 first-round draft pick, was working with the third string during offseason practices and has a tough path toward earning a roster spot, according to ESPN.
It just hasn’t worked out for Cine in Minnesota. He was barely playing at the start of his rookie year before he suffered a compound fracture in his leg in Week Four that caused him to miss the rest of the season. In his second season he played in only seven games, almost exclusively on special teams.
If Cine makes the team, it may be mostly because his $1.75 million salary is guaranteed, and cutting him doesn’t save the Vikings any salary cap space. If the Vikings are picking their best players, though, it doesn’t look like Cine will be one of the 53.