I love a good heel turn, especially when it goes in my favor, and especially especially when it proves me right.
Entering last night, the Buffalo Bills still had one spot available on their 16-man practice squad. GM Brandon Beane was able to pull off a terrific late addition, adding a former first-round draft pick that was reportedly signing with the New York Jets.
Bills get former first-round pick at position of need
A few days ago, before roster cut down day, I put out there on social media that I had my eye son Minnesota Vikings 2022 first round pick Lewis Cine, a safety that played his college ball at Georgia. I also wrote about him as a player the Bills should target.
Cine ended up suffering a horrible leg injury his rookie year. Since then, he has failed to get on the field in regular season games. This preseason, though, he showed flashes of the athleticism and instincts that made him a highly-coveted draft prospect.
I can’t think of a better home for a second chance than for Cine to be tutored up by Sean McDermott and Bobby Babich, who I believe would get the most out of Cine’s upside.
There was plenty of talk about Minnesota looking to potentially trade their former first rounder, but it reportedly never materialized. He cleared waivers, was on his way to the Jets, and apparently had a change of heart.
Plot twist: Former #Vikings first-round S Lewis Cine is expected to sign with the #Bills’ practice squad, sources tell me and @RapSheet.
Cine, who is headed to Buffalo now, had initially leaned toward the #Jets but opts to go elsewhere in the AFC East. pic.twitter.com/Ety9fbH6K1
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) August 29, 2024
Sensational.
Heel-turning from the Jets to the Bills is one way to immediately get on the good side of Bills Mafia.
Cine is a no-risk, high-reward signing
For Cine, it’s never a good look when a team parts ways with a high draft pick after only two years. That will be worth keeping an eye on. But, what I do know, is that the Bills are getting a former first-round talent at a position that has plenty of questions on the current roster, that played ball on a national championship Georgia defense, for next to nothing.
If Cine doesn’t work out, oh well. It was a swing at a practice squad guy.
If it does work, though, the ceiling is tremendous.
Cine is a rangy safety with a quick trigger that has closing speed to get to the ball no matter where it is on the field. He has the ability to cover tight ends and running backs in space, and has plenty of burst – assuming he got back to full speed following his leg injury.
What Cine showed in the preseason makes me believe the injury is behind him, and if he can buy into the Buffalo culture and learn from the coaching that the Bills have in place, Cine has every opportunity to work his way up the depth chart over the next year, especially considering the group has been banged up throughout training camp.
It’s a perfect practice squad reclamation project for Bean and Co. I love it.