The Eagles signed former 1st-round safety Lewis Cine off the Bills’ practice squad Wednesday, a curious move four days before the playoff opener vs. the Packers.
Cine has played only 10 career defensive snaps in three seasons with the Vikings, who drafted him in 2022, and the Bills, where he spent this past season on the practice squad. He’s played 134 career special teams snaps but only 16 this year as a game-day call-up in a game against the Rams, the only game he’s played this year.
The Eagles safeties are all healthy and Cine hasn’t played enough special teams to think he’d be a factor there. Other than the fact that he went to Georgia, it’s hard to figure why the Eagles wanted him at this point of the season.
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The Eagles had a roster spot open after releasing emergency quarterback Ian Book on Tuesday.
Cine was the 32nd pick in the 2022 draft but played in only three games as a rookie before suffering a compound left leg fracture on punt coverage in a game against the Saints at the Superdome. He came back in 2023 but played in only seven games.
The Vikings released Cine after 2024 training camp and he spent the entire year on the Bills’ practice squad.
Cine was the defensive MVP of Georgia’s 33-18 win over Alabama in the 2021 National Championship Game in Indianapolis.
NFL
In addition to starters C.J. Gardner-Johnson and Reed Blankenship, the Eagles have Sydney Brown, Tristin McCollum and Avonte Maddox at safety, as well as Andre’ Sam on the practice squad.
Cine, 25, becomes the sixth former Georgia Bulldog on the 53-man roster, joining Jalen Carter, Jordan Davis, Nakobe Dean, Nolan Smith and Kelee Ringo.
He’s also the eighth former 1st-round pick on the 53-man roster, along with Carter, Davis, Lane Johnson, Mekhi Becton, Saquon Barkley, DeVonta Smith, Jahan Dotson, Kenny Pickett, Nolan Smith and Quinyon Mitchell. Also Charles Harris is on the practice squad.
In an interview with SI.com’s Georgia Bulldog football site, Cine spoke about his injury and his attempt to come back from it.
"Just because you got drafted in the first round, that doesn't mean you're just handed anything," he said. "You've got to understand that these are jobs. It's unfortunate that I broke my leg, but that's long behind me. I have to use this opportunity to show that I haven't lost a step. I'm still the same Lew that you drafted."
The Eagles also opened the 21-day practice window for defensive tackle Byron Young, who’s been on Injured Reserve with a hamstring injury since Oct. 25. Young, a 3rd-round pick of the Raiders last year, played in six games for the Raiders last year but hasn’t played this year.
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