Detroit Lions running back Sione Vaki sustained a fractured nose and an eye injury during a training camp practice on Monday, an incident head coach Dan Campbell characterized as 'unbelievable.' A teammate's hand penetrated Vaki's face mask during the practice, causing the injury.
"We're hopeful, vision should be okay in time," Campbell said Monday. "We're not gonna have him here today, just gonna let him kind of recover a little bit. So we think he'll be okay. He's just gonna need a minute here. Just one of those freak things, somehow a hand gets through the facemask. It was unbelievable."
Vaki, 25, was a fourth-round selection by the Lions in the 2024 NFL Draft. He played college football for the Utah Utes, where he was utilized as a two-way player. During his first two seasons in the NFL, Vaki has primarily contributed on special teams due to limited opportunities behind established running backs Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery.
With Gibbs currently holding out for a new contract and Montgomery now with the Houston Texans, Vaki had been vying for increased playing time alongside new signing Isiah Pacheco. However, his injury now presents a significant setback in his efforts to impress the coaching staff for the upcoming season.
In response to Vaki's injury and the team's depth at the position, the Lions signed veteran running back Raheem Blackshear on Tuesday. Blackshear secured a contract after competing with free agents Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Hassan Haskins, and Kylin James. The Lions' running back room also includes Jacob Saylors, Jabari Small, and Kye Robichaux.