2023 Breakout Players: Lewis Cine

Cine had a false start to his career during his rookie season. Now in Brian Flores' defense, he's ready to arrive

Editor’s Note: This is the first of a series of ‘breakout players’ pieces from a bunch of new contributors to TRO. Each piece will have a navigation bar for you to be able to bounce around and binge-read in time for the new season.

When the Minnesota Vikings selected Lewis Cine with the 32nd pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, they envisioned the Georgia safety bringing youth, energy, and physicality to an aging Vikings secondary. He is already turning heads in training camp. 

Cine’s rookie season was cut short due to a compound fracture sustained in the Vikings’ Week Four matchup with the Saints. The injury was so serious that he required immediate surgery in London before flying home. 

Before the injury, Cine’s season had started slowly. He lost a camp battle to Cam Bynum, a fourth-round pick out of Cal in 2021, and was then inactive for the Vikings' first game against Green Bay. During the first three weeks of the season, he played two snaps – total.  

Back at Georgia, Cine was a versatile de…