Just when all the ducks were in a row for the Detroit Lions to have a fantastic offensive line, one of the big ducks couldn’t fly. When right guard Halapoulivaati Vaitai went onto the injured reserve with a back issue on Monday, the news clipped the wings of enthusiasm around the fanbase.
Vaitai will not be easy to replace. He was a great fit at right guard, displaying power and balance that didn’t always translate so well outside at tackle, where he was initially signed to play in Detroit. “Big V” did not allow a single sack in 2021 while playing between a rookie RT and a backup center. That’s impressive.
