Converting Vaitai's Salary Into Signing Bonus Creates Salary-Cap Space for Detroit Lions

The Detroit Lions needed additional salary-cap space for the remainder of the 2021 season.

The Detroit Lions have dealt with a significant number of injuries and roster uncertainty the past few weeks. 

As a result, general manager Brad Holmes converted $1.335 million of Halapoulivaati Vaitai's remaining base salary into a signing bonus, according to ESPN. 

The move created an additional $1 million in salary-cap space for the team to operate the final two weeks of the season. 

In 2021, the NFL salary cap of $182.5 million and rollover monies gave Holmes and Co. $197.7 million to spend this season. 

With the team incurring over $55.4 million in dead-cap fees and over $51.1 million on salaries for players that are on the IR/Non-Football Injury list, the team has been fielding its 53-man roster with approximately $91 million this season. 

An injury to Shane Zylstra, who reportedly fractured his kneecap, has left the team dangerously thin at the tight end position. 

It is likely that a move will be announced to bring in an additional player to play alongside Brock Wright for the team's final two games against the Seattle Seahawks and Green Bay Packers.

Next season, the team should have an additional $38-$40 million in cap space to work with, to aid in the retooling process. 

The Lions, who were airtight to the cap, converted $1.335M of OL Halapoulivaati Vaitai remaining base salary into a singing bonus, creating $1M in space for the rest of this season.

— Field Yates (@FieldYates) December 28, 2021

2021 salary cap = $182.5 M + Lions rollover gave them $197.7 M to spend this season.

The Lions have...
... over $55.4 M in dead cap
... over $51.1 M on IR/NFI

That means the Lions have been fielding a 53-man roster with around $91 M this season https://t.co/tIURIpasoC

— Erik Schlitt (@erikschlitt) December 28, 2021

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