Halapoulivaati Vaitai’s time with the Detroit Lions could effectively be over. The Lions placed the veteran offensive guard on injured reserve on Tuesday.
Vaitai missed several weeks earlier in the season with a knee injury, but “Big V” sat out the last two Detroit games with a back injury. That’s an extension of the same issue that kept him out of the entire 2022 season. The 30-year-old made just three starts in 2023.
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Detroit was also busy on the practice squad. Prior to the reported signing of EDGE Bruce Irvin, the Lions released RB Devine Ozigbo and CB Anthony Averett from the practice squad. In their place are new signees, OL Michael Schofield and CB Kindle Vildor.
Schofield is a veteran with starting experience at both right guard and right tackle. He started five games for the Chicago Bears in 2022, his fourth NFL team in seven years. Schofield played collegiately at nearby Michigan and turns 33 on Wednesday.
Vildor is a four-year vet who played his first three seasons in Chicago. The Tennessee Titans waived him after two games this year, and he was most recently on the Philadelphia Eagles practice squad.
Detroit has one spot open on the 53-man roster. Expect that to go to long snapper Jake McQuaide, who played in Week 10 as a practice squad elevation.