Minnesota Breaks Off Negotiations

Team lets Orazio, Gardner, and Duncan go to division rival Packers
By "Cole Winter"

Off-Season 2102 (Minneapolis, MN) - In a startling move, Vikings GM Lou Lombardo called an afternoon news conference today not to announce the re-signing of any of his big time free agents, but to disclose that negotiations with all three players were over. 'With the kind of money that Green Bay was throwing out there this offseason, we've decided to get out of this game to maintain our leverage to improve the team later this offseason and to keep potential free agents in coming seasons,' Lombardo said at the podium to a hushed crowd. 'We understand that our fans might look at this on the surface and feel we are giving up on this season. I ask you to please rethink that and keep an eye on what will be occuring in the next day or so.' This was in reference to the Vikings now being able to keep players like Sidney Johnson and the popular Jock Matthews on the team this season. Also, the Vikings will now have the opportunity to be proactive in the trade market to fill any holes before training camp. Finally, the deals signed by Orazio, Gardner, and Duncan now will put Green Bay in a tough financial situation to get back under the salary cap this season and with flexibility in the future. Lombardo's final words summed up the team's reasoning, 'We just felt that this was the best decision for our team in the long term.' That will be up for debate among the fan base, especially on the Sundays when these former Vikings are suited up in green on the other side of the field.

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