Another veteran lineman is taking a massive pay cut to stay with the Detroit Lions in 2023.
Offensive guard Halapoulivaati Vaitai has agreed to cut his base salary from $9.4 million this fall to $1.21 million, according to NFL Players Association records, and in return the Lions have converted the final year of his contract in 2024 to a voidable year.
Vaitai, the Lions’ top free agent addition in 2020, was in danger of being a cap casualty after missing all of last season with back surgery.
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By renegotiating his contract, the Lions lowered Vaitai’s cap charge to $5.05 million this season, according to OverTheCap.com, freeing up nearly $7 million in cap room.
Vaitai is the third player to take a salary cut to stay with the Lions in March.
The Lions reduced defensive end Romeo Okwara’s base salary from $11 million to $2 million in a move that created nearly $9 million in cap space, and Charles Harris agreed to cut his $6 million base salary in half to free up nearly $3 million in cap room.
Before free agency, the Lions released defensive lineman Michael Brockers in a move that freed up $10 million in cap room.
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Vaitai has battled foot and back injuries during his three seasons in Detroit, but started 25 games at right guard in 2020-21. If healthy, he is expected to compete for the right guard job this fall with veteran Graham Glasgow, who the Lions signed in free agency last week.
The Lions entered Thursday with $11.7 million in cap space, according to NFLPA records.
Contact Dave Birkett at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett.