Thread: Fonoti out for rest of year

You won't be seeing Fonoti in a Vikes uniform the reast of the year. ESPN is reporting he's on IR for the rest of the season. I hope they round him into shape and have him back next year.
Here's the ESPN story:

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. -- The Minnesota Vikings placed guard Toniu Fonoti on injured reserve Friday, ending his season because of a severely strained groin he suffered in his only appearance with the team.

Acquired in an Oct. 18 trade with the San Diego Chargers, who drafted him in the second round in 2002, Fonoti was out of shape and nursing a broken hand. Finally in condition to play, Fonoti started at left guard in Green Bay against the Packers on Nov. 21. He got hurt in the game and was replaced by Anthony Herrera.

Weighing about 385 pounds, the 6-foot-4 Fonoti was dominant in practice and should have a chance to contribute in 2006.

"If you have good feet and your big and strong and tough like he is," coach Mike Tice said, "we can do wonders with him."

Defensive end Eric Taylor was promoted from the practice squad to help an injury-plagued line.

Tice also said that he plans to suit up eight offensive linemen, seven defensive linemen and use only four receivers on the active list for Sunday's game at Detroit. That likely means rookie Troy Williamson will find himself out of uniform for the second straight week.

That sucks.. I had a feeling we were rushing him!

Acquired in an Oct. 18 trade with the San Diego Chargers, who drafted him in the second round in 2002, Fonoti was out of shape and nursing a broken hand. Finally in condition to play, Fonoti started at left guard in Green Bay against the Packers on Nov. 21. He got hurt in the game and was replaced by Anthony Herrera.

That's an overstatement!

Fonoti was not in condition to play, but was played anyway to shake up the O-line & hopefully to help him get into better condition.

Yup.. He was still overweight and feeling his injury still.. I don't blame Tice for trying to get him in there.. We needed help up front!

I was looking foward to keeping him in the line-up. He could've really helped us out but we'll see next year.

He is a free agent next year so unless we use the franchise tag on him I find it unlikely we will see him in a Vikings jersey.

"FuadFan" wrote:

He is a free agent next year so unless we use the franchise tag on him I find it unlikely we will see him in a Vikings jersey.

I don't think the market will be that high on him that the Vikes will use their franchise tag on him.

A more likely candidate would be K-Rob if they don't sign him to a longer term deal before the deadline.

"singersp" wrote:

"FuadFan" wrote:

He is a free agent next year so unless we use the franchise tag on him I find it unlikely we will see him in a Vikings jersey.

I don't think the market will be that high on him that the Vikes will use their franchise tag on him.

A more likely candidate would be K-Rob if they don't sign him to a longer term deal before the deadline.

There are still teams out there who could use a guard Green Bay may want him and Dallas has a couple of older players at their guard spots. I'm also pissed about these guys we need active on O-line preventing us from keeping Williamson active. Liwienski can only play left guard and Withrow can only play center I will be glad when we have Birk back with Fowler who we should use the tag on and have better depth since he could probably play guard or center if need be.

"FuadFan" wrote:

He is a free agent next year so unless we use the franchise tag on him I find it unlikely we will see him in a Vikings jersey.

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(From an article in the Star Tribune by Kevin Seifert "Detroit running back Jones downgraded to questionable")

Fonoti finished, for now

The Vikings placed offensive lineman Toniu Fonoti on injured reserve in order to activate practice squad defensive lineman Eric Taylor. The move ended Fonoti's season, but team officials plan to offer him a contract this winter and consider him a potential starter in 2006.
Fonoti, acquired in Oct. 18 from San Diego, is a pending free agent.

"I would really like to work with him in the offseason," coach Mike Tice said. "I think we can do some things to help him. To put him through our offseason program and the hard training camp we run will be excellent for him. ... If you have good feet, you're big and you're smart and tough like he is, we can do wonders with a guy like that."

Fonoti needed another six weeks to recover from a severely strained left groin suffered Nov. 21 against Green Bay. The roster move ensures the Vikings will send San Diego a seventh round pick to complete the trade. The compensation would have been a sixth-round pick if Fonoti had played more.
__________________________________________________ ____________

It was a good move to put him on the IR. He now onl cost us a 7th round pick instead of a 6th.

"FuadFan" wrote:

"singersp" wrote:

"FuadFan" wrote:

He is a free agent next year so unless we use the franchise tag on him I find it unlikely we will see him in a Vikings jersey.

I don't think the market will be that high on him that the Vikes will use their franchise tag on him.

A more likely candidate would be K-Rob if they don't sign him to a longer term deal before the deadline.

There are still teams out there who could use a guard Green Bay may want him and Dallas has a couple of older players at their guard spots. I'm also pissed about these guys we need active on O-line preventing us from keeping Williamson active. Liwienski can only play left guard and Withrow can only play center I will be glad when we have Birk back with Fowler who we should use the tag on and have better depth since he could probably play guard or center if need be.

T-Will has been activated see the following thread. I just posted the article;

http://www.purplepride.org/vikes/index.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&p=262915#2629 15