EAGAN, Minn. — And then there were six.
When the Minnesota Vikings announced they were moving on from former first-round pick Lewis Cine, he became the fourth player from the team's 2022 rookie class to part ways with the club. It's not unusual for players to move on from the team that drafted them, however, to cut ties with four players in just two years is a bit out of the ordinary.
In 2022, the Vikings were in need of secondary help, and that included the safety position. On paper, the decision to draft Cine — a promising, hard-hitting young safety out of Georgia — doesn't raise any red flags. However, then first-year General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah traded back from the No. 12 spot to garner three picks that ultimately landed the Vikings one current player — backup linebacker Brian Asamoah II. The other two picks were used on Cine and cornerback Andrew Booth, who was traded to the Dallas Cowboys earlier this month.
The biggest knock on Adofo-Mensah trading back was that one of the top safety prospects in the draft — Kyle Hamilton — was available at No. 12, and he's since turned into an All-Pro safety for the Baltimore Ravens.
Cine had plenty of upside coming out of college, but he suffered a serious leg injury during his rookie season that required multiple surgeries before he was able to return to the field. Despite his recovery, the injury set his development back and he was never able to find a consistent role with the defense. Cine appeared in just 10 games — primarily on special teams — and recorded one assisted tackle.
Booth appeared in 23 games in his two seasons with the Vikings, including two starts, but like Cine, he was never able to work his way into a consistent rotation in the secondary.
The other two picks to have parted ways with the Vikings came later in the draft — fifth-rounder Esezi Otomewo and sixth-rounder Vederian Lowe — and each player appeared in only a handful of games during their time in Minnesota.
While the Vikings have moved on from four picks, they do still have six players from that class, including four who will play major roles with this year's team. Second-round guard Ed Ingram has appeared in 32 games and started all of them. He was immediately inserted into the starting lineup as a rookie and has filled the right guard position ever since.
Fourth-round pick Akayleb Evans has played in 25 games throughout his career and started all 15 that he appeared in last season. However, the Vikings added veterans Stephon Gilmore, Shaquill Griffin and Fabian Moreau during the offseason, so his playing time could see a dip in the upcoming season.
Players who could see an increase in playing time this season are fifth-round pick Ty Chandler and sixth-rounder Jalen Nailor. Chandler played in all 17 games last season and carried the ball 102 times, but as one of just two running backs on the current roster — the other being starter Aaron Jones — he could see an uptick in carriers and catches as the season progresses. Nailor is also expected to see an increased role in the offense as the Vikings' No. 3 receiver behind Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison.
There's no denying Adofo-Mensah and head coach Kevin O'Connell had higher expectations for their first two picks in 2022, especially with an All-Pro safety in Hamilton available, but should Engram, Evans, Chandler and Nailor become consistent players, missing on those first two picks won't seem as dire.