Safety Lewis Cine is expected to return to practice this week, opening the possibility of the first-round pick making his Vikings debut on Monday night in Philadelphia.
Injured Vikings rookies Lewis Cine, Andrew Booth Jr. could be ready against Eagles
Cine was inactive Sunday because of a knee injury; Booth sustained a quad injury early against the Packers.
September 13, 2022 at 3:37AM
Cine, the 32nd overall pick out of Georgia, aggravated a knee contusion last week and was held out of Sunday's win against the Packers. He initially suffered the injury during an Aug. 20 preseason game against the 49ers. He'd been off the injury report until the issue popped up again in the middle of last week.
"Lew is kind of champing at the bit to get going," head coach Kevin O'Connell said. "He's done everything we've asked from a rehab standpoint. We'll see what his practice schedule looks like, but we're expecting to hopefully have Lew."
Cine is behind safety Camryn Bynum on the depth chart, but there's a situational role for Cine on defense, according to O'Connell.
The Vikings also got good news regarding cornerback Andrew Booth Jr., who left after two snaps on special teams against the Packers due to a quad injury. Booth's injury is "not a long-term thing," O'Connell said, and it's possible he plays against the Eagles. Booth, a second-round pick, had just recovered from an ankle injury suffered last month.
'Feeling pretty fresh'
Nose tackle Harrison Phillips said he's on the NFLPA Mackey-White Health and Safety Committee, and therefore takes a particular interest in the evidence his Vikings just produced: A team that rested 10 starters in the preseason was physically imposing in a 23-7 win to start the regular season.
Phillips, who reportedly played through a torn posterior cruciate ligament in his knee for the Bills last season, said he's an advocate for teams prioritizing player safety over maximizing offseason contact. O'Connell has the Vikings following the Rams' lead by monitoring mileage in the summer.
"The Rams have done it and they just won a Super Bowl," Phillips said. "We're doing it here, and we're feeling pretty confident, feeling pretty fresh. … There's a lot of that coming and I think that's a fantastic thing for player health and safety."
Overseeing all
After his first regular-season game as an NFL head coach, the 37-year-old O'Connell gave himself and his coaching staff positive reviews on how well they talked through situational decision making and play calling. O'Connell, the offensive guru, said he's working on being "more connected" with the defensive side.
"Being there when they need to take a timeout," he added, "and when they need to inevitably have something come up that they need to adjust and maybe get some help from me to do so."
Etc.
- O'Connell on tight end Irv Smith Jr.'s "major role" for the Vikings: "He will continue to show up throughout the season. I've got so much confidence in him and excited about his continued growth, kind of within the confines of each week's game plan."
- O'Connell on rookie guard Ed Ingram: "Every snap is new at this level for Ed. He really ascended as the game went on, and then ultimately there's a lot to correct, clean up."
- Safety Myles Dorn reverted to the practice squad. He was elevated to the active roster against the Packers and had one assisted tackle in nine special teams snaps. Each NFL team can elevate a player up to three times per season.
- Former Gophers linebacker Jack Gibbens signed with the Titans practice squad.
Mike Conley was in Minneapolis, where he sounded the Gjallarhorn at the Vikings game, on Sunday during the robbery.
