NY Jets sign high-profile recent 1st-round pick to practice squad

This is an awesome pickup for the Jets

Justin Fried

Lewis Cine / Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports

The NY Jets have signed one of the most high-profile players let go as part of final roster cuts on Tuesday, adding former Minnesota Vikings safety Lewis Cine to their practice squad.

Cine was a first-round pick of the Vikings just two years ago and looked like a potential future building block of their defense. Unfortunately, a devastating leg injury suffered early in his rookie season derailed his career.

Cine appeared in just 10 games for the Vikings over two years, playing almost exclusively on special teams in 2023, before he was waived as part of final roster cuts. Now, he gets a fresh start with the Jets.

Cine is the second safety reportedly signed to the Jets' practice squad after the team reportedly re-signed rookie seventh-round pick Jaylen Key. Both players will continue their development in Florham Park.

The NY Jets are a perfect landing spot for Lewis Cine

A four-star recruit coming out of high school, Cine turned down offers from schools like Texas, Michigan, Penn State, and Florida to play for the University of Georgia.

Cine earned first-team All-SEC honors in 2021 en route to helping his school win a National Championship. The versatile defensive back was seen as a borderline Day 1/Day 2 pick entering the 2022 NFL Draft, and he'd go on to be selected with the 32nd overall pick by Minnesota.

Cine showed some promise in his first summer with the Vikings and began the season as a key depth player. Unfortunately, he suffered a compound leg fracture that required two surgeries in a Week 4 game against the New Orleans Saints. His career has never fully recovered.

The Haiti native found himself sliding down the depth chart in favor of the likes of Harrison Smith, Josh Metellus, and Camryn Bynum, prompting his premature departure from the Vikings.

The Jets are an excellent landing spot for Cine, given that the team's safety room is likely their weakest position group. The young safety should have an opportunity to push for playing time if he impresses the coaching staff in practice this season.

Cine becomes the 10th former first-round pick to be a member of a deep and talented Jets defense. This is likely the most notable practice squad addition the team will make today.

*Update: Lewis Cine has reportedly changed his mind and is signing with the Buffalo Bills practice squad*

More NY Jets news and analysis:

Justin Fried

Justin Fried is an editor for FanSided who has over seven years of experience covering the NFL and various other sports. A diehard Jets fan since birth, Justin has served as the editor for The Jet Press since 2019, interviewing athletes such as Sauce Gardner, Curtis Martin, LaDainian Tomlinson, Joe Klecko, and many others. Justin has also worked closely with brands like Red Bull to help highlight the niche sectors of the sporting world. His four-part series on the sport of breaking remains one of his proudest pieces of work. In his spare time, Justin is an avid pro wrestling fan who is fortunate enough to have traveled to nearly 30 different countries.