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

[Paul Costa]

On 8/29/2024 at 8:47 AM, Coach Tuesday said:

Interesting.  Both Cine and Rapp are two high-pedigreed safeties trying to resurrect their careers in Buffalo.  It’s the perfect spot for them to do that.

Kinda like when they gave Poyer & Hyde a chance to become starters in the NFL. 

[BADOLBILZ]

3 hours ago, HappyDays said:

I'm fine with this PS signing, but I'm curious - when was the last time a high draft pick flamed out with their original team, signed with a different PS, and actually turned their career around from there? I feel like there are a ton of these stories every single year and they never actually go anywhere. By far the most likely outcome is that Cine just plain isn't very good and will never see the field.

 

 

I can't think of any 1st who has washed out that quick and then PS'd their way back to a good career with their next team.  

 

But Rasul Douglas was a late 3rd rounder in 2017 and failed with Philly and Carolina before kicking around 4 practice squads in 2021 and breaking out late in that season with Green Bay.

 

He might be the patron saint for this kind of thing. 

[Bruffalo]

4 hours ago, That's No Moon said:

For a team to cut a 1st round pick after only two years, there has to be a lot of legitimate negative out there. Not just made up stuff.

Hyde was not an unknown.

I didn't say any of it was made up, so I don't know why you quoted me.

[transplantbillsfan]

I scrolled through and was expecting someone else to post about this, but no one did... guess I will...

 

I understand the skepticism and criticism of Cine flaming out after having a healthy year last year, but Joe Marino on Locked on Bills covered the Cine signing on his podcast this morning.  He said tthat it was primarily a "fit" thing for Cine with the Vikings.  Guess who the Vikings Flores as of February 2023??????

 

 

 

 

 

Brian Flores

 

Now... first of all, there's the issue that Cine was drafted in 2022 with whatever D the Vikings at the time had in mind.  He had a lost year due to his injury.  In comes Flores in 2023 for Cine's de facto rookie year.  Apparently (I'm going by what Joe Marino said in his podcast), Flores runs a hyper aggressively unique defense to the NFL that's really blitz heavy and Cine isn't the best Safety fit in that system.  Also--and I think this is Marino making an educated guess, but it would make sense based off recent history--it sounds like there may have just been some general friction between Cine and Flores.  Would that surprise anyone with the way he handled Tua?

 

So I think people looking at this signing with anything other than optimism really confuses me.  This is especially considering McDermott's success working with secondary players, especially Safeties...

 

You guys already mentioned Poyer and Hyde.  He's had success working with Safeties going all the way back to Philadelphia, though.  Quinten Mikell (Philadelphia) and Kurt Coleman (Carolina) became Pro Bowl Safeties under McDermott at a time when the Pro Bowl meant a little something.  Mike Mitchell (Carolina) went to Carolina in 2013 from Oakland on a 1 year contract worth 1 million dollars and had his best year in the NFL by far under McDermott as DC, helping him to get a 5 year, $25 million deal with the Steelers, where he never matched that success or even came close to it.

 

Those 3 guys are Safeties.  There's also, of course, Josh Norman and his development into being an All-Pro and Defensive Player of the Year candidate in 2015.

 

I understand questioning McDermott on a lot of things.  He's done pretty darn well earning the benefit of the doubt as far as secondary development.

 

It's fine to be excited about seeing what Cine can turn into under our HC.  I am.

Edited August 30 by transplantbillsfan

[That's No Moon]

4 hours ago, Bruffalo said:

I didn't say any of it was made up, so I don't know why you quoted me.

Because it was a follow on comment to what you said. Quoting someone isn't calling them out.

[beerme1]

6 hours ago, BADOLBILZ said:

 

 

I can't think of any 1st who has washed out that quick and then PS'd their way back to a good career with their next team.  

 

But Rasul Douglas was a late 3rd rounder in 2017 and failed with Philly and Carolina before kicking around 4 practice squads in 2021 and breaking out late in that season with Green Bay.

 

He might be the patron saint for this kind of thing. 

 

 

And he's ours.

[bigduke6]

Flores may be one of those coaches who its his way or the highway.   meaning,  if you dont fit exactly what he wants to do,  bye bye.   most of the real good coaches in the NFL can adapt to their players strengths and cover up their weaknesses.   could be whats happened to Cine.

[Sierra Foothills]

8 hours ago, Paul Costa said:

Kinda like when they gave Poyer & Hyde a chance to become starters in the NFL. 

 

Poyer was a 7th rounder.

 

Hyde was a 5th rounder.

 

Rapp was a 2nd rounder.

 

Cine was a 1st rounder.

 

 

Edited August 31 by Sierra Foothills

[GASabresIUFan]

I’m not sure why anyone would be upset that we signed Cine.  This is a zero risk, high reward signing with the added benefit that the kid is still really young.  If it works, we might have a future Hyde or Poyer for the next decade.  If it doesn’t, it doesn’t. 

[BADOLBILZ]

8 hours ago, GASabresIUFan said:

I’m not sure why anyone would be upset that we signed Cine.  

 

 

Is someone upset?   And if so did they not explain why.......leaving you unsure?  

 

Is it really necessary to gaslight and straw man every topic or do some simple equations like this not really need ceremonial fan-shaming?

[Tulsabillsfanz]

Great PS signing!  Very high upside potential with minimal risk.   I see the 2 big factors in his downfall at Minnesota as the serious leg injury his rookie season, followed by a new defensive coordinator coming in after his rookie season.  
 

Now he gets his new start with his old college position coach and his new head coach loves to coach up DBs.  This really has the potential to be a great redemption story.  Let’s hope this potential story becomes reality over the next few years. 

[dave mcbride]

On 8/30/2024 at 2:06 PM, Coach Tuesday said:

Cordarell Patterson, Ted Ginn, there have been a few with this type of trajectory.

Cordarelle Patterson finished 3rd in rookie of the year voting. He also was a first-team all-pro returner. He had 7 rushing and receiving TDs and 2 kickoff return TDs.

Ginn certainly wasn't great but at the same time had 90 catches for over 1,200 yards in his first two seasons and was a better than average kick returner.

 

Cine has literally done nothing. He has ONE assist (not even a tackle!) in two seasons and no other stats: https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/C/CineLe00.htm.

On 8/30/2024 at 4:32 PM, BADOLBILZ said:

 

 

I can't think of any 1st who has washed out that quick and then PS'd their way back to a good career with their next team.  

 

But Rasul Douglas was a late 3rd rounder in 2017 and failed with Philly and Carolina before kicking around 4 practice squads in 2021 and breaking out late in that season with Green Bay.

 

He might be the patron saint for this kind of thing. 

I've been trying to think of people and really can't come up with any first rounder who did absolutely zilch in his first two seasons and then turned it on for another team. I mean, there's gotta be someone out there ... maybe Tony Mandarich? Nah.

[Punching Bag]

On 8/30/2024 at 11:32 AM, Coach Tuesday said:

 

Considering the Bills' DB coach is Cine's college coach, I am confident they understand his strengths and weaknesses better than anyone.

 

We had that before with Zay Jones - he like Poyer gave positive reviews of player - Zay Jones never grew under coach Phil McGeoghan and Poyer did; both coaches were picked by Coach McD so hopefully Cine's college coach can develop players.

[Coach Tuesday]

14 hours ago, dave mcbride said:

Cordarelle Patterson finished 3rd in rookie of the year voting. He also was a first-team all-pro returner. He had 7 rushing and receiving TDs and 2 kickoff return TDs.

Ginn certainly wasn't great but at the same time had 90 catches for over 1,200 yards in his first two seasons and was a better than average kick returner.

 

Cine has literally done nothing. He has ONE assist (not even a tackle!) in two seasons and no other stats: https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/C/CineLe00.htm.

I've been trying to think of people and really can't come up with any first rounder who did absolutely zilch in his first two seasons and then turned it on for another team. I mean, there's gotta be someone out there ... maybe Tony Mandarich? Nah.

Ok then how about Mike Williams?

 

https://www.seahawks.com/news/first-round-bust-turned-leading-receiver-a-look-at-one-of-the-seahawks-su-126266

 

Or Koren Robinson?

Edited September 4 by Coach Tuesday

[FireChans]

14 hours ago, dave mcbride said:

Cordarelle Patterson finished 3rd in rookie of the year voting. He also was a first-team all-pro returner. He had 7 rushing and receiving TDs and 2 kickoff return TDs.

Ginn certainly wasn't great but at the same time had 90 catches for over 1,200 yards in his first two seasons and was a better than average kick returner.

 

Cine has literally done nothing. He has ONE assist (not even a tackle!) in two seasons and no other stats: https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/C/CineLe00.htm.

I've been trying to think of people and really can't come up with any first rounder who did absolutely zilch in his first two seasons and then turned it on for another team. I mean, there's gotta be someone out there ... maybe Tony Mandarich? Nah.

Jerry Hughes?

 

He had a couple sacks in Indy prior to being moved but was playing opposite to Mathis and went from being a rotational guy to playing 20% of snaps. He was on his way out.

 

The biggest kiss of death for a guy like Cine is that he was waived and PSed. That means he had zero market. Nobody wanted to give a conditional 7th for a reclamation project of a former first rounder, which is honestly bizarre.

 

Isaiah WIlson, the former bust of the Titans, was terrible on and off the field. Played 4 snaps as a rookie. Skipped all kinds of things, got suspended multiple times, demanded a trade on Twitter etc. He was traded for a conditional 7th to the Dolphins. What is so wrong with Cine he can't even muster that?

Edited September 4 by FireChans

[GunnerBill]

9 minutes ago, FireChans said:

Jerry Hughes?

 

He had a couple sacks in Indy prior to being moved but was playing opposite to Mathis and went from being a rotational guy to playing 20% of snaps. He was on his way out.

 

The biggest kiss of death for a guy like Cine is that he was waived and PSed. That means he had zero market. Nobody wanted to give a conditional 7th for a reclamation project of a former first rounder, which is honestly bizarre.

 

Isaiah WIlson, the former bust of the Titans, was terrible on and off the field. Played 4 snaps as a rookie. Skipped all kinds of things, got suspended multiple times, demanded a trade on Twitter etc. He was traded for a conditional 7th to the Dolphins. What is so wrong with Cine he can't even muster that?

 

Yea Hughes fits. I think the practice squad point only really applies to guys the last 4 or 5 years. The practice squad rules before made putting a guy like Cine there pretty impossible. 

 

But I agree in the modern world the fact he had so little interest is a bad sign. Did you hear Matthew Collyer on WGR with Schopp last week? His review of Cine was bruuuuuuutal. 

[Coach Tuesday]

Tommy Maddox??

[dave mcbride]

29 minutes ago, Coach Tuesday said:

Ok then how about Mike Williams?

 

https://www.seahawks.com/news/first-round-bust-turned-leading-receiver-a-look-at-one-of-the-seahawks-su-126266

 

Or Koren Robinson?

Mike Williams is a good one!

 

Koren Robinson had a fine rookie season and a breakout second season: https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/R/RobiKo00.htm

Edited September 4 by dave mcbride

[finn]

Well, it's always fun to have at least one potential messiah on the roster who might unexpectedly shine and save the Bills season. With the likes of Rapp and Hamlin at safety, and Edwards and Bishop still question marks, I like to dream that Cine will step in and be the savior. He has size, speed, athleticism, and a coach who believes in him. Plus, he knows this might be his last real chance to make it in the NFL. Safety is hand-down the weakest spot on the roster, so the door is open. 

 

Given all this optimism, I really hope they elevate him soon before some other team has an injury and signs him off the practice squad. 

[86poker]

Leonard Floyd was mediocre on the Bears, then turned it on after signing with the Rams