Less than a day after being waived by the Minnesota Vikings last week, former Georgia Bulldogs safety Lewis Cine had seemingly struck a deal with the New York Jets to join their team. However, Cine decided on Thursday to instead sign with the Buffalo Bills.
Cine has not had an ideal start to his NFL career. He suffered a severe leg injury during his rookie season, which was a significant setback. Cine returned for the 2023 NFL season, but did not look like himself. He has played in 10 career NFL games and has just one career tackle. Cine has primarily played a role on special teams.
During his time with Georgia, Cine played in 39 games from 2019 to 2021. In his standout junior season, he recorded 73 tackles and an interception while being named MVP of the national championship game against Alabama.
Cine had a strong performance this preseason. He recorded 11 tackles, a sack, and an interception, as well as a huge hit on Browns quarterback Tyler Huntley.
The Bills parted ways with both Jordan Poyer and Micah Hyde this offseason, leaving Damar Hamlin and Taylor Rapp in position to start at safety. Cine figures to have a chance to immediately break into their rotation and compete for a starting role. Cine is also reunited with former Georgia Bulldogs assistant coach Jahmile Addae, who is the cornerbacks coach for the Bills.