Vikings safety Lewis Cine has surgery to repair compound fracture of left leg

Lewis Cine had surgery in England on Tuesday to repair a compound fracture in his left leg.

The rookie safety was injured while blocking during a punt return in the Vikings' 28-25 victory over the Saints at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday.

The "successful surgery" was performed by Dr. Ash Vasireddy at Cleveland Clinic London, according to a team statement.

Cine was a first-rounder, the 32nd overall pick, in the 2022 draft out of Georgia. A member of the Vikings medical staff remains with Cine, who will go on injured reserve, until he is able to return to Minnesota.

"We look forward to welcoming Lewis back to Minnesota to be around his teammates and coaches and begin the rehabilitation process with the Vikings medical staff in the very near future," the Vikings' statement read.

Cine, 22, wrote a thank you message that he posted on social media after the surgery.

"Thank you for all the prayers and well wishes over the past two days," Cine posted on social media. "I'm sorry I have not been able to respond to everyone that has reached out, but please know your support has been truly felt. I am incredibly grateful for the care I have received from the doctors and staff at Cleveland Clinic London. With [Tuesday's] surgery behind me, I'm looking forward to returning to Minnesota, supporting my teammates and attacking this rehab so I can get back to doing what I love to do. Skol Vikings!"

Nose tackle Khyiris Tonga is headed for the Vikings off Atlanta's practice squad, according to his agent, David Canter.

The 26-year-old Tonga, who delayed his college football career at Brigham Young with a two-year Mormon mission, was a seventh-round pick by the Bears in 2021.

He suited up for 15 games last season for the Bears, who waived the 6-4, 338-pounder out of training camp this year before he signed with the Falcons.

Not to be outdone on gaining knowledge about an upcoming foe, the Bears signed ex-Vikings defensive lineman Jalyn Holmes to their practice squad on Tuesday. Holmes, 26, was a 2018 fourth-round pick by the Vikings out of Ohio State. He appeared in 25 games for Minnesota from 2018-2020.

The Vikings activated linebacker Ryan Connelly from the physically unable to perform list. They also released defensive lineman Jaylen Twyman and receiver Travis Toivonen from the practice squad.

Connelly, who is from Eden Prairie, was drafted by the Giants in the fifth round in 2019 out of Wisconsin. He is returning from knee surgery to repair a torn ACL suffered last season.