Eagles Bring In 2022 First-Round Pick

The Eagles signed safety Lewis Cine to the active roster before practice on Wednesday.

New Eagles safety Lewis Cine. / Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

PHILADELPHIA - Eagles GM Howie Roseman seems to always have Georgia on his mind.

The Eagles signed safety Lewis Cine off the Buffalo Bills practice squad on Wednesday and added the 2022 first-round pick to the 53-man roster in advance of Sunday's postseason game against the Green Bay Packers.

The No. 32 overall pick by the Minnesota Vikings that year out of Georgia, Cine was Kwesi Adofo-Mensah's first pick as the GM in Minnesota, and didn't pan out. He fractured his leg during Week 4 of his rookie season and ended up playing in just 10 games over two seasons with the Vikings before he was waived before the start of the 2024 season.

Minnesota has a very deep safety room led by potential future Hal of Famer Harrison Smith, playmaking centerfielder Cam Bynum, and the versatile Josh Metellus, as well as young contributors Theo Jackson and Jay Ward.

Cine caught on with the Buffalo practice squad and was elevated for one game this season.

The Eagles don't need help at safety but have an open roster spot after waiving quarterback Ian Book, an emergency signing when Jalen Hurts suffered a concussion at Washington on Dec. 22.

With Hurts set to return to practice Wednesday the Eagles felt comfortable in releasing Book.

Cine is not here for immediate help. The Eagles are well-stocked at safety with starters C.J. Gardner-Johnson and Reed Blankenship along with young backups Sydney Brown and Tristin McCollum. Veteran Avonte Maddox is also capable of toggling back and forth between slot CB and safety.

By signing Cine, 25, now, the Eagles can get a quick look to see if there is anything there for 2025 and beyond.

A member of Georgia's 2021 National Championship team, Cine joins a roster stacked with ex-Georgia defenders including defensive tackles Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis, edge rusher Nolan Smith, middle linebacker Nakobe Dean, and cornerback Kelee Ringo.

The Eagles also started the 21-day practice window for defensive tackle Byron Young, who is on injured reserve with a hamstring injury.

Young, a second-year Alabama product, was claimed off waivers from the Los Vegas Raiders on Aug. 29 and was inactive for the first six games of the season before being placed on IR on Oct. 26, He spent the final 11 games of the regular season on IR.

Young played in six games as a rookie with the Raiders in 2023, making four tackles in 99 defensive snaps.

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