Vikings’ Roster Bubble Embodied by One Man
Because the mystery is so pronounced, the first thing Minnesota Vikings fans might scroll toward when the 53-man roster drops on Tuesday is Lewis Cine’s spot — or lack thereof.
Vikings’ Roster Bubble Embodied by One Man
Cine is sitting on the team’s roster bubble — in first class. He’s the keynote speaker at the roster bubble discussion, the main event.
Last year, the Vikings kept six safeties, which some considered bizarre or overkill. And if Cine wants to make the active roster in 2024, the team might have to do that again. Otherwise, a player like Jay Ward, a second-year defender, would have to hit the waiver wire or practice squad. And that’s all assuming veteran summer signing Bobby McCain doesn’t make the September roster.
For context on Cine’s bubble status, these are Minnesota’s safeties one day before roster trimdowns:
- Harrison Smith
- Camryn Bynum
- Josh Metellus
- Theo Jackson
- Jay Ward
- Lewis Cine
- Bobby McCain
Most teams keep about four safeties, so the six from last year were truly an outlier. Cine needs defensive coordinator Brian Flores to do it again on Tuesday.
Cine flashed in a single preseason game nine days ago, terrorizing several Cleveland Browns reserve players and notching an interception, sack, brutally good open-field tackle, and overall standout performance. His 53-man roster stock soared, at least according to eager fans who want him to succeed. The man missed nearly all of his rookie season with a gruesome broken leg, battled back to be ready for the 2023 campaign, and then barely played on defense. Some have hinted in 2024 that he might trust his body, as injury recoveries often aren’t as open and shut as “he’s good to go now.”
Last week, FOX9’s Jeff Wald interviewed Cine and asked if the Cleveland preseason performance was enough to secure a regular season roster spot.
“I don’t know for sure. That’s not really what I’m thinking about. I’m just thinking about stacking another one. Add on to that, handle the things I can handle, and let the pieces fall where they may,” Cine replied.
Cine added, “I’m not oblivious to knowing this is a business at the end of the day, but I’m confident in myself. I’m confident in the player that I am. A healthy me is a dangerous me, so that’s all I can say about that.”
General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, who drafted Cine as his first pick on the job 28 months ago, could also trade the young safety for a late-round draft pick. Those options could be in the process of exploration at the moment. If not, Cine’s bubble status would come down to in or out. If waived, some team would almost certainly pounce on the 24-year-old, treating him like a reclamation project with high upside.
Overall, Cine is the highest-profile Viking on the roster bubble. It’s really not close.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. The show features guests, analysis, and opinion on all things related to the purple team, with 4-7 episodes per week. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band). He follows the NBA as closely as the NFL.
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.
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