Coach Dan Campbell said Sione Vaki avoided a long-term injury on Thursday, noting “He’s good”
The Detroit Lions got some good injury news this week, as coach Dan Campbell revealed that running back Sione Vaki avoided a major injury and appears to be fine.
“No long-term (concerns),” Campbell said. “We’ll see how he feels this morning, but he’s good.”
Vaki suffered a shoulder injury during a tackling drill at Thursday’s practice and did not return. Vaki has regularly been repping as the RB4 in training camp, behind the likes of David Montgomery, Jahmyr Gibbs, and Craig Reynolds.
Vaki was drafted in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft , and the Lions’ plans were to immediately move him from safety to running back. Campbell noted that Vaki’s making progress in that transition, but it’s still very much a work in progress.
“He is growing, and he’s learning,” Campbell said. “I just want to bring it up again, he’s new to the position. For him, I think a lot of it is going to be (getting) carries. His form, what he’s looking at, his vision because that’s where—he’s pretty smart, he’s pretty instinctive, he’s picking up the pass game, the protections. But I think that’s where he’s really got a huge ceiling to grow: carrying the football, and reading off blocks, and understanding where we want him to go.”
We’ll see if Vaki is out there for the Lions’ Friday practice—their final before heading to New Jersey for joint practices with the Giants next week. You can follow along with live updates from Friday’s practice here.
UPDATE: Vaki is at Friday’s practice in full pads.