Vikings' Lewis Cine 'needs the reps,' and he should get some Monday in Philadelphia

First-round safety Lewis Cine will have "significant roles" on special teams during his Vikings debut on Monday night against the Eagles, according to coordinator Matt Daniels. Cine, who missed Sunday's 23-7 win against the Packers because of a knee injury, returned to practice this week and said he's expecting to play his first NFL game on "Monday Night Football."

Cine, the former Georgia standout, will be limited to kickoff and punt phases with the possibility of playing sparingly on defense "by down-and-distance, by situation" alongside safeties Harrison Smith and Camryn Bynum, head coach Kevin O'Connell said.

"He'll be a core teamer for us," Daniels said Friday. "Typically how it goes is special teams is like the grooming process for, you know, eventually you'll make plays [and] make plays and the next thing you know I kind of just send him on his way to defense."

Cine said he'll help "wherever I can contribute" now that he's close to putting behind him the knee contusion initially suffered in an Aug. 20 preseason game against the 49ers. Missing about a week of practices and the preseason finale was a hiccup in his transition to the NFL.

"Lewis is a guy that needs the reps," Daniels said. "He can see it on tape and understand it, but for him to fully get it he needs to be on the practice field doing the reps. He's a rep guy."

He should get about 15 to 20 snaps across four special teams phases in Philadelphia, where a prime-time kickoff and a 1-0 Eagles team could rouse a notoriously raucous crowd. Teammates have already warned the rookie.

"They did mention that the environment is rowdy in terms of the fans," Cine said, "but they all love to play there because their fans are rowdy. I'm real curious to see what that's like. I'll get to see come Monday."

Tight end Irv Smith Jr.'s limited usage against the Packers – no catches on two targets in 19 snaps (31%) – was also partly due to Smith not fitting the game plan by Vikings coaches. Offensive coordinator Wes Phillips said starting tight end Johnny Mundt helped nudge the Packers into defensive looks they wanted.

Smith, who underwent Aug. 2 thumb surgery and missed the preseason, said after the game that coaches didn't want to rush him "into too much."

"Some of it is based on personnel groupings. Some of it is what those personnel groupings might elicit," Phillips said. "Maybe with two tight ends with Irv in the game with Johnny Mundt, maybe that's going to elicit a nickel grouping. … and maybe that's what we're looking for at times."

Smith hadn't played a full regular season game in 18 months, and his need to reacclimate was also a factor to why coaches started Mundt.

"We can use Irv in all phases," Phillips said, "and I do think there is something to a guy who hasn't played a lot of football in the last year and obviously had the little thumb in training camp and missed some time."

Defensive end D.J. Wonnum was added to the injury report with a foot issue. He was limited and a midweek addition, which typically indicates he suffered the injury in practice. Cornerback Andrew Booth Jr. (quad) remained sidelined. Cine (knee) and defensive lineman Jonathan Bullard (biceps) were full participants.

For the Eagles, guard Landon Dickerson (illness) was limited on Friday; tight end Jack Stoll (ankle) fully practiced.