If the Detroit Lions are going to make a playoff push the next few weeks, they will have to do so without one of their top free agent additions of the offseason.
The Lions placed offensive lineman Halapoulivaati Vaitai on injured reserve Wednesday because of a lingering foot injury.
Vaitai hurt his foot in training camp and has been in and out of the lineup this fall. He missed the first two games of the season, played right guard upon his return, was held out of the Lions' Week 10 win over Washington, then did not play in the second half of last week's loss to the Carolina Panthers.