Howie Roseman is trying to lock up as many players as possible to long-term contracts. First it was Brandon Graham, then came Jason Kelce, and earlier today Isaac Seumalowas the newest player to get extended. Now it appears another offensive lineman will be signing a new contract in the near future.
Philly.com's Jeff McLane reported today that Howie Roseman is going to attempt to extend T Halapoulivaati Vaitai before the offseason ends.
Vaitai was drafted in the 5th round of the 2016 NFL draft by the Eagles. At the time of drafting him it was expected that he could possibly turn out to be a quality depth option for the offensive line, and that is exactly what he has become.
He got his first starts at right tackle in 2016 thanks to Lane Johnson's 10-game PED suspension, but didn't really "wow" anyone then. The following season when Jason Peters went down with a torn ACL, many expected the season to be lost with Vaitai trying to protect the blind side. He didn't end up becoming a stud, but he held his own and performed well enough to help the Eagles win their first Lombardi Trophy. Last season once again he had to come in multiple times in relief of Peters, who was dealing with multiple injuries, and once again he played decent enough to not hinder the offense.
A new contract likely won't command much, and the team knows Vaitai is reliable if they need to lean on him. The Eagles' 2016 draft class appears to be on its way to staying with the team for a long time.
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