Safety Lewis Cine was released by the Philadelphia Eagles over the weekend as the team prepared for the Tuesday cut down deadline. It likely ends an unceremonious three year NFL career that began with hopes that Cine could be heir apparent to a franchise legends in Minnesota, and quickly turned into a mess.
We all know the legendary draft screwups of the NFL: The Saints trading their entire class for Ricky Williams, the Chargers taking Ryan Leaf, and the Raiders making JaMarcus Russell a No. 1 pick — while what the Vikings did in 2022 isn’t close to that level of infamy, it’s still one of the most impressive draft screwups of the modern era. One that began with the team being in a spot to get an All-Pro defensive back, and winded up with Minnesota getting a handful of magic beans, making their rivals better in the process.
The trade that started it all
It was fairly clear what the Vikings needed to add in the 2022 NFL Draft. The team was in dire need of defensive back help, and save that a need to strengthen their interior offensive line. The stage was set at No. 12 for Minnesota to get the steal of the draft, with Notre Dame safety Kyle Hamilton stunningly still on the board after garnering Top 5 hype and being widely regarded as the best safety to enter the draft in years.
The Minnesota Vikings have traded the 12th overall pick to the Detroit Lions …
It was stunning, albeit slightly understandable when the Vikings first traded back in the first round. This was a deep class at DB, and the prevailing wisdom is that more picks are always better than fewer. The most surprising part is that Minnesota traded with one an in-division rival, and made a poor deal at that. The Vikings traded the No. 12 and No. 46 picks for No. 32, No. 34, and No. 66. Perhaps the team had a different internal calculator that the rest of the league, but it’s widely accepted under every public model that Minnesota lost their trade from anywhere to 200 to 400 points — while the Lions got WR Jameson Williams, who just posted his first 1,000 yard season after missing portions of the last two years due to off-field issues.
Kyle Hamilton was picked by the Baltimore Ravens at No. 14. He has been named an All-Pro in each of the last two seasons.
The Vikings finally get … a guy
As soon as Minnesota took Lewis Cine at No. 32 it raised questions. If the Vikings wanted a safety then why not take Kyle Hamilton instead of their trade back? Did they really have a board which dictated that so many first round talents would still be available when they picked at 32 and 34?
Nobody thought Cine was remotely on the same level as Hamilton as a prospect. Nobody. This isn’t some revisionist history coming out. At every point in the process Hamilton was a Top 10 pick, Cine was a fringe 1st round player (at best). The best trait Cine had was that he hit hard, playing more like a light linebacker in the secondary than a true safety — but this also made him below-average in pass coverage. In taking him the hope would be that you could coach up his coverage ability, and lean into his ability to deliver a big hit to play him up in the box. That’s a very hopeful plan, as it requires a young defensive back to try and learn to more difficult, nuanced part of their game upon entering the NFL.
In any event the Vikings took Cine, and then moved onto their next pick.
The N0. 34 pick was on the clock and Minnesota was poised to take another bite of the apple — then they traded this pick again. This time in a deal with another division rival in the Packers, this time getting No. 53 and No. 59. Once again an NFC North team got a receiver because of the deal, with Green Bay taking Christian Watson with the pick. He’s been an okay player for the Packers, not outstanding, not terrible — but part of the WR rotation.
Minnesota then decided to trade back up, this time with the Colts. They took CB Andrew Booth Jr. at No. 42, giving up picks 53, 77, and 192.
Two more trade backs later in the 4th round and the snowball that began at No. 12 finally finished. The entire trade was complete and we saw the “haul” the Vikings were able to get by giving up their ability to get one of the best safeties in football.
- S Lewis Cine
- CB Andrew Booth Jr.
- OG Ed Engram
- DE Esezi Otomewo
- RB Ty Chandler
It can’t be overstated how awful these picks were. Cine was just cut by the Eagles, Booth Jr. is 8th on the Cowboys depth chart at corner, Engram is the Texans’ backup RG, Otomewo is buried on the Steelers depth chart, and Chandler ran for 182 yards last season. The only guy who managed to still stick on this roster is a 4th string running back. Meanwhile the Ravens got gifted Kyle Hamilton, the Lions got a starting WR, the Packers got a solid rotational receiver, and even the Colts won their trade, netting starting WR Alec Piece as part of their 2nd round trade.
It’s rare to find a team make this many picks and whiff on so many, while others around them got so much better as a result.
