Allen Park — For the third time this offseason, a veteran Detroit Lions player has agreed to a significant pay cut to stay with the team.
Instead of releasing offensive lineman Halapoulivaati Vaitai, and immediately clearing slightly more than $6.5 million in cap space, the two sides agreed to a restructured deal that will save the Lions even more in 2023.
Vaitai, who missed all of last season with a back injury, had been scheduled to carry a bloated $12.5 million cap hit in 2023. That figure included a $9.4 million base salary, which has been reduced to $1.2 million. Additionally, the Lions converted $1.8 million of that amount into a signing bonus, which, for cap purposes, will be spread evenly across the remaining two years of the contract.
As part of the restructure, Vaitai’s contract now voids after this season, one year earlier than the initial agreement he signed in 2020. Instead of the $12.5 million cap hit in 2023, the new figure is $5.05 million, while there will be a lingering dead money charge of $3.8 million in 2024 tied to his initial signing bonus, a 2022 contract restructure and this recent adjustment.
The Lions are banking on the potential of Vaitai returning to the level of play in 2021, when he started 15 games at right guard and didn’t allow a single sack. Yet the team isn’t taking any chances, bringing back veteran Graham Glasgow to challenge for the starting job.
Glasgow, who has started 91 games in his career, returns to Detroit after three seasons in Denver. His one-year contract is worth up to $4.5 million, but only carries a cap hit of $2.68 million this season because it has a void year tacked on the end, as well.
Meeting with the local media earlier this week, Glasgow discussed his push to return to Detroit, where he started his career and is just down the road from where he played collegiately at Michigan. Within that desire, there’s also this drive to prove himself after falling out of favor at the end of his time in Denver.
“Yeah, I mean I think that that’s very fair to say,” Glasgow said. “And I think there’s no better place for me to prove myself than where I’ve already proved myself before.”
In addition to Vaitai’s contract alterations, edge rushers Charles Harris and Romeo Okwara also agreed to pay reductions in 2023. In total, the changes saved the Lions more than $19 million in cap space for the upcoming season.
jdrogers@detroitnews.com
Twitter: @Justin_Rogers
We’re offering a great rate on digital subscriptions. Click here.