Vikings Poised to Part Ways With $11 Million 1st-Rounder
The new Minnesota Vikings regime has made rebuilding the defense through the draft a priority — but they could part ways with their biggest investment in the draft, Lewis Cine, before the start of next season.
Selected 32nd overall in the 2022 draft, Cine has not lived up to his first-round draft stock the past two years. He missed the majority of his rookie season after suffering a lower leg fracture in October 2022. But since making a full recovery, Cine has not made an impact in Brian Flores’ scheme.
Cine had played only special teams until Week 17 when he logged his first defensive snaps of the season in a blowout loss to the Green Bay Packers on December 31. Entering the Vikings’ season finale, Cine has appeared in just six games, played eight defensive snaps and has been a healthy scratch several times this season.
Taking into account his absence of commitments such a long ways in his vocation, next instructional course could be represent the deciding moment for Cine, as per SKOR North’s Judd Zulgad, previously of The Star Tribune.
“Chances are Lewis Cine will get back to the Vikings next season, yet it won’t be a stunner in the event that the group chooses to continue on from the 2022 first-round pick,” Zulgad composed for the Vikings Wire. ” Adofo-Mensah’s first selection in the opening round has been a frequent inactive for the Vikings, which is not good news for the team.
New Vikings System’s first Draft is Looking Sad
Adofo-Mensah’s choice to exchange down his most memorable draft has demonstrated exorbitant for Minnesota.
The Vikings had a need at security and might have stuck at No. 12 and picked Kyle Hamilton, who made his most memorable Ace Bowl this season with the Baltimore Ravens, who chose the Washington item fourteenth generally speaking.
All things considered, the Vikings exchanged back two times the initial two rounds, permitting the Detroit Lions and Packers to draft wide recipients, and utilized the subsequent picks to land Cine at No. 32 generally, cornerback Andrew Stall Jr. 42nd generally in the subsequent round and linebacker Brian Asamoah 66th by and large in the third round.
Cine has scarcely contributed regardless of Flores’ plan frequently utilizing three safeguards. Stall is fourth on the cornerback profundity diagram yet has played more than 100 protective snaps this season. Asamoah, considered a breakout up-and-comer and starter in the preseason, lost his job to undrafted new kid on the block Ivan Speed Jr. Asamoah has played only 36 snaps this season.
Adofo-Mensah trusted his initial three draft picks would be basic to the Vikings’ guarded revamp, however through two years, the unit is as yet inadequate with regards to ability and profundity at a few positions.
Vikings’ 2024 Draft to See Greater Speculation on Guard
There’s areas of strength for a that the Vikings’ 2024 draft will be characterized by a quarterback — however the group’s choice of safeguards could be represent the moment of truth for the new system.
The Vikings could lose possibly three of their top edge rushers Danielle Tracker, D.J. Wonnum and Marcus Davenport, leaving Patrick Jones II as their top returning edge rusher under agreement for the 2024 season.
A dominant defensive interior lineman who can exert pressure in the space between tackles could also be selected.
What’s more, obviously, you can never have an excessive number of cornerbacks. Third-round youngster Mekhi Blackmon has played well in his most memorable year, while Akayleb Evans has had a rollercoaster second season subsequent to being chosen in the fourth round of the 2022 draft.
Any of those three positions could use a first-round pick, but with the need to find a future quarterback, that may not be an option.
