Inside the Iggles
FanSided

Philadelphia Eagles: A look at Halapoulivaati Vaitai’s immediate future

By Anthony Fabrikant

Oct 23, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles offensive tackle Halapoulivaati Vaitai (72) blocks Minnesota Vikings defensive end Danielle Hunter (99) at Lincoln Financial Field. The Philadelphia Eagles won 21-10. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 23, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles offensive tackle Halapoulivaati Vaitai (72) blocks Minnesota Vikings defensive end Danielle Hunter (99) at Lincoln Financial Field. The Philadelphia Eagles won 21-10. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit

Judging by Halapoulivaati Vaitai’s rookie season, the Eagles may have acquired a vital part to their future.

The Philadelphia Eagles potentially have a huge hole to fill as Jason Peters grows older. Peters has been a cornerstone for the offense, but that can’t be expected to continue as he ages. That may have led to Halapoulivaati Vaitai’s selection and could show us how the Eagles intend to develop him.

In 2016, Vaitai played in seven games and started in six of them. Right tackle Lane Johnson’s suspension forced Vaitai into the lineup a lot earlier than many expected. His first start came against the Washington Redskins, where he was matched up against Ryan Kerrigan. The rookie learned the hard way that Kerrigan is one of the best edge players in the NFL. Vaitai was exposed by Kerrigan’s speed, strength, and discipline. It made for a long day and continuous pressure on Carson Wentz.

The former TCU Horned Frogs lineman was baptized by fire in that Redskins game, but then something happened. The following week, against the Minnesota Vikings, Vaitai demonstrated ability that we hadn’t seen the week prior. The Eagles gained offensive momentum as the day went along en route to a giving the Vikings’ their first loss of the 2016 season.

Rocky rookie season?

Eagles
Vaitai struggled initially but progressed each week. The offensive line in Philly has actually grown to be considered one of the better units in the league, Vaitai is a big part of that success. Now, with Johnson’s suspension behind them and uncertainty surrounding Peters, the question is where will Vaitai fit in. As long as Peters is in Philadelphia and Johnson is in the lineup, you can probably expect Vaitai to be the backup. There’s a good chance, when Peters leaves or retires, that Johnson will be moved to left tackle. That would, potentially, give Vaitai the task of filling in on the right side. That only enhances the importance of Vaitai continuing to gain experience this season. /

Next: Eagles closer than people think

The Eagles’ coaching staff fell in love with Vaitai during the draft process because of his combination of size and athleticism. His ability to see the field so well in games has played a key role in his continued development, and even though he isn’t a starter yet, that experience will pay off going forward.

Next: Peters needs a new deal

The Eagles had a much stronger draft in 2016 than many assumed they would. The addition of both Isaac Seumalo and Vaitai infused youthfulness, talent and versatility this season. Moving forward, Seumalo and Vaitai will assimilate into their starting positions. No one is certain when that will be or what it means. What we do know is Vaitai’s rookie season showed promise, and with a full off-season to prepare for his second, you can expect his continued improvement.

Home/Eagles News