Lewis Cine, safety
Expectations are always high for a first-round draft pick. When the Minnesota Vikings selected Cine and gushed about having big plans for him, thoughts of him being a day-one starter next to Harrison Smith entered people’s minds.
Cine was inactive for Week 1 and he suffered a season-ending injury in Week 4 with him only seeing action in three games. In those games, he played two defensive snaps and 34 special teams snaps. That can’t be what the team had in mind for him.
There is nothing wrong with bringing a rookie along slowly, allowing them to acclimate to the NFL. The transition from the college level to the pro level is very difficult, especially for a defensive back.
A healthy Lewis Cine will have opportunities to impress next season in what should be a more aggressive scheme.It will be fun to see what the team has planned for him before injuries threw a wrench into their plans.