By Sean Jensen of www.twincities.com In Sunday’s exhibition at San Francisco, Vikings coaches gave veteran linebacker Desmond Bishop plenty of opportunities to impress them. After his first significan playing time since 2011, Bishop proclaimed himself ready to take over the starting weakside linebacker spot. “I definitely can handle it, but that’s not my call,” Bishop said. “I don’t make that...

Buffalo Bills’ Tashard Choice (20) is tackled by Minnesota Vikings’ Audie Cole (57) and Desmond Bishop (55) during the first half of an NFL preseason football game Friday, Aug. 16, 2013, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Bill Wippert) Article By Ben Goessling The moment Desmond Bishop had been anticipating for more than a year had come and gone, and the Vikings linebacker felt the wash of relief that came from returning to the...

Aug 16, 2013; Orchard Park, NY, USA; A general view a Minnesota Vikings helmet during the second half against the Buffalo Bills at Ralph Wilson Stadium. Bills beat the Vikings 20-16. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Hoffman – USA TODAY Sports BY MIKE DYCE – AUG 18TH, 2013 AT 11:23 AM Linebacker Desmond Bishop got back on the field for the first time in over a year. The moment he had been waiting for since suffering a hamstring injury in...

MANKATO – Middle linebacker is a leadership position. A position that requires someone to set the defense, make adjustments and have a thorough working knowledge of where his teammates are supposed to be on any particular play. With that in mind, it really shouldn’t have come as a surprise when Vikings coach Leslie Frazier dropped a somewhat surprising bit of news Thursday that former Packer Desmond Bishop would be starting out at outside...

MANKATO, Minn. — Desmond Bishop forgot for a moment the new teammates he’s meeting, the new terminology he’s learning and the new environment he’s adjusting to. That first practice with the Minnesota Vikings was satisfying simply for what it was. This linebacker finally was playing football again, his helmet buckled and his heart full. “I felt like a kid in a candy store out there,” Bishop said, following the first workout of training...