Getty Taylor Decker gestures for a first down in a 2022 game in Carolina.
The Detroit Lions have made a lot of changes this offseason, but one change they did not make came along the offensive line.
Most of the offseason, folks were making the case for the team to release Halapoulivaati Vaitai from the roster given his major contract, sketchy injury history and age. Instead, the Lions kept Vaitai, and that may have been a smart move.
Speaking to the media on Tuesday, April 18, Lions offensive tackle Taylor Decker explained that he feels as if Vaitai is looking good coming off the back surgery which cost him the 2022 season, and is “moving around well” so far during the offseason.
Taylor Decker said he’s impressed with how well Halapoulivaati Vaitai is moving around running & lifting to start offseason program after having backs surgery. Great sign for the competition and depth along that Lions O-line that’s expected to be one of best in NFL.
“Taylor Decker said he’s impressed with how well Halapoulivaati Vaitai is moving around running & lifting to start offseason program after having back surgery. Great sign for the competition and depth along that Lions O-line that’s expected to be one of best in NFL,” Twentyman wrote in the tweet.
Last year, Vaitai looked healthy at this point of the offseason as well, but just ahead of the season, had back trouble which shut him down. The good news is that with the surgery behind him, Vaitai can set out at this point in the offseason to strengthen the back with workouts.
So far so good as it relates to that according to Decker, who seems to like what he sees from one of the biggest wild cards the Lions have on their 2023 roster.
Halapoulivaati Vaitai Took Major Pay Cut for 2023
The Lions will keep Vaitai, but only after he agreed to a massive pay cut a month ago in order to help Detroit’s salary cap situation.
As Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press pointed out, Vaitai’s base salary was lowered from $9.4 million to $3 million for the 2023 season. Additionally, 2024 was voided, meaning Vaitai will be a free agent next offseason instead of being on the books.
“Vaitai base salary now at $3M, was $9.4M for 2023 with 2024 voiding. So he’ll be a FA after this season, Lions get more cap relief,” Birkett tweeted.
The deal will save the Lions over $6 million dollars against the cap, while letting them keep a player around who has managed to give them good minutes. When combined with other restructures, it puts the Lions in the neighborhood of about $25 million in cap space.
Vaitai coming back at a reduced salary could end up being a big win for the Lions, especially if he can look as good as Decker is describing.
Halapoulivaati Vaitai’s Career Stats & Highlights
Vaitai hasn’t lived up to the free agency deal he signed in 2020, but if he can stay healthy.
Vaitai’s deal pays him a total of $45 million dollars for five years, and doesn’t expire until after 2024. Early on, Detroit didn’t get a huge return on investment from Vaitai thanks to the fact he was injured and played just 10 games in 2020.
That number increased to 15 in 2021 amid a bounce back season for the guard. 2022, however, saw Vaitai have another back injury which cost him the season. Vaitai is now 30 years old, and was a top signing of Detroit’s former regime led by Bob Quinn. Instead of removing him from the roster, however, Brad Holmes has stuck with Vaitai.
Vaitai helped the Eagles win Super Bowl 52 after being a fifth-round pick in 2016, and is a veteran piece with position versatility up front. A big selling point when he came to Detroit was his ability to play either tackle spot or guard. He’s played mostly at guard, but has flashed at tackle. If healthy, he can be a solid starter.
The Lions decided his veteran savvy and versatility was enough to keep him around in spite of some of his earlier health problems. To hear he is looking good early in the offseason is quality news for the Lions, who need a boost in the trenches from a guy with valuable starter experience.