Former Minnesota Vikings first-round pick shines vs Browns in attempt to save roster spot

After going winless the last two seasons in the preseason, the Minnesota Vikings are 2-0 after a dominant performance against the Cleveland Browns on Saturday. With only one game left before final roster cuts are going to be made, many players are fighting for a roster spot.

Saturday night was a dominant performance for the Vikings, who won 27-12. The defense forced three interceptions and held one of the NFL’s most lethal rushing attacks to 56 yards. The offense had multiple explosive plays and played with balance and tempo that kept the Browns on their heels. Many players, including Kene Nwangwu and Trishton Jackson, were winners and standouts in the first preseason game against the Las Vegas Raiders. However, one player that was almost a foregone conclusion to losing his spot on the roster

Lewis Cine has been outside the roster bubble throughout training camp and preseason. He once again battled injuries that cost him practice time, and when he saw the field, he was with the third-string defense. Unless Cine blew everyone away with two weeks left in the preseason, he would likely be cut or traded. Well, Cine did just that. He was all over the field on Saturday against the Browns, totaling 11 tackles with a sack and an interception. Cine was a hard-hitter all night and significantly impacted several plays for the defense.

The former first-round pick has not performed well for the Vikings, and it was thought to be a foregone conclusion that the safety would not be in purple much longer. However, with an outstanding performance against the Browns, many wonder if Cine saved his job with the Vikings this weekend.

Cine’s performance can be viewed in two different ways. The first is clean-cut: Cine played well and potentially saved his spot on the team. The other is that Cine's performance could cause some NFL teams to call general manager Kwesi-Odofo-Mensah about acquiring Lewis Cine.

While Cine could still be outright cut, with the safety showcasing flashes this past weekend of the player, many hoped he would be out of college, releasing him outright is looking less likely, especially with his guaranteed contract as a former first-round pick. If Cine is not traded, the team could keep Cine on as a rotational defensive piece, hoping he can turn his career around.