The New England Patriots reportedly had three players in for a tryout on Tuesday.
According to ESPN’s Mike Reiss, the Patriots worked out defensive backs Lewis Cine (Georgia), Marcus Banks (Mississippi State) and Tre Hawkins (Old Dominion). It’s no surprise to see the team searching for more options in the defensive backfield given the lack of depth at both cornerback and safety.
Cornerback Charles Woods and safety Jaylinn Hawkins have both been dealing with injuries. With that said, Cine is the one player who should catch a lot of eyes considering he was a first-round draft pick with the Minnesota Vikings in 2022.
The former Georgia Bulldog suffered a devastating leg injury in Week 4 of his rookie season that greatly impacted his development at the next level. He is only 26 years old with some upside as both a safety and special teams contributor.
After being cut by the Vikings, he spent time with the Buffalo Bills and Philadelphia Eagles. He could be a long-term reclamation project worth investing in for the Patriots.
