Inside The Vikings

Watch: Former Vikings first-round pick Lewis Cine snags preseason interception

It's been a rough go for Cine in the NFL, but this was a good moment for him.

Will Ragatz

Aug 20, 2022; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings safety Lewis Cine (6) warms up before the game against the San Francisco 49ers at U.S. Bank Stadium.
Aug 20, 2022; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings safety Lewis Cine (6) warms up before the game against the San Francisco 49ers at U.S. Bank Stadium. / Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports
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Vikings safety Lewis Cine has secured the first preseason interception of his NFL career, picking off a deflected Dorian Thompson-Robinson pass during the second quarter of Saturday's game in Cleveland. Andre Carter II brought pressure, rookie Dallas Gant made the initial play on the ball, and Cine was in the right spot to snag the INT.

It's been a rough go with the Vikings for Cine, who was the team's first-round selection (No. 32 overall) out of Georgia two years ago. The first draft pick of the Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and Kevin O'Connell era, he's played just ten defensive snaps in the regular season.

Cine suffered a major leg injury on special teams as a rookie. Since getting healthy, he hasn't been able to emerge at all in one of the NFL's best safety rooms. The Vikings have Harrison Smith, Josh Metellus, Camryn Bynum, and Theo Jackson at the position.

Now in his third year with the Vikings, Cine is in real danger of not making the cut for the 53-man roster later this month. Making a splash play in the preseason can only help his chances, though. He also had four tackles in the first half against the Browns.

Update: Cine's big game continued with a huge hit in the third quarter.

Follow along for live updates on the game here.

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Will Ragatz
WILL RAGATZ

Will Ragatz is a senior writer for Vikings On SI. He is a credentialed Minnesota Vikings beat reporter, covering the team extensively at practices, games and throughout the NFL draft and free agency period. Ragatz attended Northwestern University, where he studied at the prestigious Medill School of Journalism. During his time as a student, he covered Northwestern Wildcats football and basketball for SB Nation’s Inside NU, eventually serving as co-editor-in-chief in his junior year. In the fall of 2018, Will interned in Sports Illustrated’s newsroom in New York City, where he wrote articles on Major League Baseball, college football, and college basketball for SI.com.

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