Former Green Bay Packers LB Desmond Bishop to Join Minnesota Vikings?
By Chris Roling
Oct 23, 2011; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Green Bay Packers linebacker Desmond Bishop (55) against the Minnesota Vikings at the Metrodome. The Packers defeated the Vikings 33-27. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports
The Green Bay Packers recently let go star linebacker Desmond Bishop for financial reasons, but Bishop could find a new home very quickly by staying in the NFC North and joining the Minnesota Vikings.
Bishop’s release from the Packers was over financial concerns and was made official earlier today according to Tyler Dunne of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel via Twitter:
The #Packers will officially release ILB Desmond Bishop today, according to a source. More coming.
— Tyler Dunne (@TyDunne) June 17, 2013
Despite the financial implications the release of Bishop comes as a shock. He was one of the best inside linebacker the NFL had to offer in the 2011 season before seriously rupturing his hamstring early last preseason. As it turns out, Bishop could be joining one of the most linebacker-needy teams in the NFL with the Vikings.
According to Bill Huber of Packer Report Magazine via Twitter, the Vikings are planning on making a major push at Bishop as soon as possible:
As has been speculated on here already, source says look out for Minnesota to make a strong run at Bishop, league source says.
— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) June 17, 2013
Bishop being interested in the Vikings and vice versa is not shocking in any way. The Vikings have a serious need at line backer and Bishop would represent a serious upgrade over Erin Henderson if his hamstring checks out. Bishop likely wants to stay somewhere familiar and close to Green Bay so Minnesota makes a lot of sense. Financially it also makes a lot of sense for Bishop to go to the Vikings because they will pay whatever he wants within reason to fill a major need not addressed through the draft.
Of course, there’s always a chance Bishop returns to his old team at a cheaper cost once he checks out medically, right? That’s what it sounds like according to a quote from Bishop himself obtained by Josh Alper of ProFootballTalk:
"“It’s not necessarily over,” Bishop said. “There’s an outside chance that I could still be a Packer. So we still have a good relationship. … If I don’t get the right compensation, I’d rather be in a familiar place.”"
At the end of the day it’s hard to tell how this story will play out. One thing’s for sure—Bishop being let go by the Packers only to join the rival Vikings would make the NFC North much, much more interesting.
Follow me on Twitter for more NFL news and analysis @Chris_Roling