Eagles Waive/Injured 2022 First-Round Pick

In addition to the acquisition of quarterback Sam Howell, the Eagles also made a less-splashier early roster move on Sunday by waiving/injured safety Lewis Cine.

Cine is expected to clear waivers and will then revert to injured reserve, where Philadelphia will likely reach an injury settlement with the 2022 first-round pick at some point.

Cine, 25, was the 32nd overall pick out of Georgia by the Minnesota Vikings in the 2022 draft, and his career has been hampered by injuries, beginning with a compound fracture in his left leg while covering a punt against New Orleans during Week 4 of his rookie campaign.

Ultimately, the Vikings waived Cine at the initial cutdown to 53 last season. He was signed to the Buffalo Bills practice squad two days later and spent the entire regular season there.

The Eagles signed Cine to their PS on Jan. 8, and he spent the Super Bowl LIX run in Philadelphia.

A great athlete coming out of Georgia who ran a 4.37 40-yard dash at 6-foot-2 and 200 pounds, Cine’s natural athletic gifts haven’t clicked at the NFL level to date.

He was buried on the Eagles’ safety depth chart behind projected starters Reed Blankenship and Sydney Brown, as well as rookie Drew Mukuba, Tristin McCollum, Andre Sam’, and even undrafted rookie Maxen Hook.

Recently, Cine had been dealing with a groin injury, but returned to play 10 defensive snaps in a 19-17 preseason finale win over the New York Jets on Friday night in which he recorded an impressive diving interception.

Those occasional flashes that reminded many why league personnel evaluators were high on Cine coming out of college were few and far between, however.

It is not yet clear if the injury designation for Cine is related to the groin or a separate issue suffered against the Jets.

With the initial cutdown to 53 looming on Tuesday, Aug. 26, the Eagles are expected to start the season with Blankenship, Brown, Mukuba, and McCollum at safety.

The versatile Cooper DeJean is also available to play the position and spent most of the summer playing opposite Blankenship in the base defensive package before dropping down to the slot when the Eagles are in nickel.