Former Vikings safety Lewis Cine pivots from Jets, will sign to Bills practice squad

[BigAl2526]

4 hours ago, GASabresIUFan said:

Who are they releasing from the practice squad to make room for Cine?

Here is a link to the latest configuration of the PS.  Bills make changes to PS

The Bills now have two safeties on the PS, Jackson and Cine.  Also, they switched out Deon Cain for Jalen Virgil.  They're both fast.  Cain is a bit bigger, I think.  There must be something they like better about Virgil's skill set.

Edited August 29 by BigAl2526

[ColoradoBills]

1 hour ago, BigAl2526 said:

Here is a link to the latest configuration of the PS.  Bills make changes to PS

The Bills now have two safeties on the PS, Jackson and Cine.  Also, they switched out Deon Cain for Jalen Virgil.  They're both fast.  Cain is a bit bigger, I think.  There must be something they like better about Virgil's skill set.

 

Cain will be on the short lost to come back if necessary.  PS is looking good.

[BobbyC81]

10 hours ago, Roundybout said:

Beats me, Lance Zierlein knocked him for “average size.” He might be a little slight for his height.
 

https://www.nfl.com/prospects/lewis-cine/32004349-4e66-8075-a009-a60b6f3b4838

 

That can be fixed.  Get him in the weight room and stuff him with steak.

[billsfan89]

McD has to have a reputation as one of the best secondary coaches in the league among players. So I think for a player like Cine who is in desperate need of a reclamation of his career being under McD is probably the best situation you can hope to be in to improve your skills/performance. For Cine I think he's going to have a chance to "marinate" on the PS this season maybe do a cup of coffee for a quick call up if there are injuries at safety. 

 

Cine getting a year to learn the system and get healthy (he's been somewhat banged up his first two seasons) and then coming into camp next season ready to compete for a backup spot. 

[WotAGuy]

7 hours ago, somnus00 said:

McDermott is elite with safeties. Hyde and Poyer weren't top safeties before they got here. I'm not getting my hopes up with Cine. But if anyone can turn him into a star, it's McDermott. 

Right. I mean, Hamlin was a corpse until McDermott got a hold of him.

[Allen2Moulds]

7 hours ago, Mat68 said:

Massive upside.   The new secondary coach recruited him out of highschool and developed him into a 1st rd pick?.  He can hopefully restore his confidence.  If he regain some of his explosiveness with more

time from his injury he could be a contributor sooner rather than later.  

Personally, I think his explosiveness is back. Hopefully he can pick up the playbook. I understand we value acumen over athletic ability, but sooner or later we have to find a way to make it work with the more athletic guys too.

[JohnNord]

4 hours ago, BigAl2526 said:

Here is a link to the latest configuration of the PS.  Bills make changes to PS

The Bills now have two safeties on the PS, Jackson and Cine.  Also, they switched out Deon Cain for Jalen Virgil.  They're both fast.  Cain is a bit bigger, I think.  There must be something they like better about Virgil's skill set.

It’s speed and explosiveness.  Ben Albright who covers Denver said Virgil impressed in the preseason and they were really hoping to get him on their PS

[Simon]

2 hours ago, billsfan89 said:

Cine getting a year to learn the system and get healthy (he's been somewhat banged up his first two seasons) and then coming into camp next season ready to compete for a backup spot. 

 

This dude has been a champion at every level, a Thorpe award semi-finalist, a defensive MVP at multiple levels and was a first round pick just two years ago.

I don't think he's here with the intent to compete for a back up spot.

[EchoBills]

40 minutes ago, Simon said:

 

This dude has been a champion at every level, a Thorpe award semi-finalist, a defensive MVP at multiple levels and was a first round pick just two years ago.

I don't think he's here with the intent to compete for a back up spot.

I'm sure he's not looking to compete for a back up spot, but with how his NFL career has gone, that's where he has to start

[julian]

8 minutes ago, EchoBills said:

I'm sure he's not looking to compete for a back up spot, but with how his NFL career has gone, that's where he has to start

With the makeup of this safety room, I don’t think that’s where he has to start.

[Beck Water]

  

14 hours ago, thenorthremembers said:

Agreed.   He really didnt see the field much as a Viking, so maybe its a case of not being given a chance because he didnt mesh with coaching staff.   He is an absolute burner athletically.    Odd he was knocked for his size.   Pretty much what you look for in a Safety.   Was it because he is tall and maybe too thin?

 

On the one hand, teams usually give 1st round picks every chance to succeed, so when a team gives up on a 1st rounder after only 2 seasons, it's generally not a good prognosis for that player.

 

On the other hand, Lewis suffered a totally ugly compound leg fracture on special teams early in his rookie season - after only a few games.  That was it for his rookie year, and it probably hampered him his 2nd year since he wouldn't have been able to work out as much in the off season.  

 

The Vikes re-signed 34 yr old Harrison Smith, who played all 17 games last season and they've got another year of  Camryn Bynum

 

Hard to tell if there's an attitude problem or he just wasn't "getting it", or what was going on.

Here's  his draft profile if anyone is curious

https://www.nfl.com/prospects/lewis-cine/32004349-4e66-8075-a009-a60b6f3b4838

Edited August 30 by Beck Water

[Simon]

1 hour ago, EchoBills said:

I'm sure he's not looking to compete for a back up spot, but with how his NFL career has gone, that's where he has to start

 

I don't dispute that, but the suggestion from the other poster that he's just here to practice this year so he can try to be a backup next year is giving him short shrift, imo.

This kid is a gamer who is coming to play for real and nobody should be surprised if we see him in uniform this year.

1 hour ago, julian said:

With the makeup of this safety room, I don’t think that’s where he has to start.

 

There sure as hell isn't much in his way, is there.......

[Breakout Squad]

1 hour ago, julian said:

With the makeup of this safety room, I don’t think that’s where he has to start.

He’s not stepping into a starting role and he won’t be active until he learns the playbook and can prove he’s still a good player.

[julian]

19 minutes ago, Breakout Squad said:

He’s not stepping into a starting role and he won’t be active until he learns the playbook and can prove he’s still a good player.

And in other news water is wet, there may not be a less established safety group in the NFL, making the idea of a former 1st round player earning a starter role after a year of learning on the practice squad very attainable.

 

 He’s not coming into a room with all pros like Hyde and Poyer, they’re long gone.

[Dr. Who]

3 minutes ago, julian said:

And in other news water is wet, there may not be a less established safety group in the NFL, making the idea of a former 1st round player earning a starter role after a year of learning on the practice squad very attainable.

 

 He’s not coming into a room with all pros like Hyde and Poyer, they’re long gone.

Safety and WR were and are the two positions of concern where there is clearly greater potential for a player to seize the opportunity. (Kicker, too, but that is complicated by an onerous, dim contract.) I don't think it's an accident that two players that garnered interest from other teams signed here to the PS from those position groups.

[Big Turk]

17 hours ago, Kirby Jackson said:

I saw something after he was released talking about how badly we overrated the players on that Georgia D :

 

- Lewis Cine (1st round)

- Travon Walker (1st overall)

- Nakobe Dean (3rd round)

- Quay Walker (1st round)

- Channing Tindall (3rd round)

- Kelee Ringo (early 4th)

 

With that being said, perfect guy to add to the PS.

 

Cine had a significant injury his rookie year tho didn't he?

[BillsFanForever19]

9 hours ago, BigAl2526 said:

Here is a link to the latest configuration of the PS.  Bills make changes to PS

The Bills now have two safeties on the PS, Jackson and Cine.  Also, they switched out Deon Cain for Jalen Virgil.  They're both fast.  Cain is a bit bigger, I think.  There must be something they like better about Virgil's skill set.

 

Virgil's a couple years younger and I think they believe he a.) Is a better player right now and/or b.) Has more upside.

 

Cain is a guy who has been a UFL player the past couple years. He had a decent 2023 in the UFL and got a chance with Philadelphia in Training Camp last season. He was cut and not brought back to anyone's Practice Squad. So he went back to the UFL in 2024. He wasn't given a chance with anyone until we called him off the couch couple weeks ago. So they probably feel pretty comfortable no one's going to pick him up and we could bring him back anytime we want.

 

Virgil's a guy who made the Broncos 53 as an Undrafted Rookie. He's dealt with injuries, but there's something there that the Broncos and possibly other teams wanted him as well. He's a bigger commodity right now.

Edited August 30 by BillsFanForever19

[LyndonvilleBill]

3 hours ago, Big Turk said:

 

Cine had a significant injury his rookie year tho didn't he?

Yeah. Compound leg fracture. Also had some hammy issues to start last season. I had him on my list at the trade deadline last year when Elam wasn't getting playtime. Thought we could have traded for him and given him time to learn the system and be ready for this season. 

[Captain Hindsight]

8 hours ago, Simon said:

 

This dude has been a champion at every level, a Thorpe award semi-finalist, a defensive MVP at multiple levels and was a first round pick just two years ago.

I don't think he's here with the intent to compete for a back up spot.

He’s also coming to a team with one of the best coaches for the safety position. Hyde and Poyer were no names when he got here and both became all pros. Safety is the one position on this team I’d feel confident with just about anyone back there

[juno999]

11 hours ago, billsfan89 said:

McD has to have a reputation as one of the best secondary coaches in the league among players. So I think for a player like Cine who is in desperate need of a reclamation of his career being under McD is probably the best situation you can hope to be in to improve your skills/performance. For Cine I think he's going to have a chance to "marinate" on the PS this season maybe do a cup of coffee for a quick call up if there are injuries at safety. 

 

Cine getting a year to learn the system and get healthy (he's been somewhat banged up his first two seasons) and then coming into camp next season ready to compete for a backup spot. 

He may contribute some time this season.  The Bills don't have that great of a safety room right now.  I believe once he learns the defense he's going to get his opportunity.