Desmond Bishop's decision to join the Vikings does more than add firepower to Minnesota's increasingly stout linebacking unit. The move also allows the former Green Bay Packer to face his old quarterback twice a year.
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"It was part of the reason," Bishop told NFL Network's "NFL AM" on Tuesday. "And if I can get a chance to play against Aaron Rodgers, I think that right there, in itself, is a motivation. You know, you want to play against the best. ... When I was playing for Green Bay, the games I cherished ... most was playing against the Vikings because I had a chance to play against (running back) Adrian Peterson. ... That's my mindset. I want to play against the best."
Bishop agreed Monday to a one-year contract with the Minnesota Vikings after being cut by the Packers on June 17. He's being asked to shift from inside linebacker in Green Bay's 3-4 scheme to the Mike role in Minnesota, where he'll initially compete with Erin Henderson.
The Vikings will find a way to keep both players on the field, but after spending his college days at Cal in the 3-4, Bishop shrugged off concerns about the transition, calling himself an "athlete" who can "play any position and do it with success."
Bishop, who said he's "100 percent" after missing last season with a hamstring injury, cited his health as a primary factor for being cut free by the Packers.
"It was really just a numbers game, I suppose," Bishop said. "You know, it's a lot of uncertainty with me coming back off this injury, and the two guys who played -- A.J. Hawk and Brad Jones -- they did a really good job. ... Brad was up, so they had to make a move with him, and I guess they went with the sure bet ... which is understandable from a business standpoint, so I don't hold nothing against them."
Follow Marc Sessler on Twitter @MarcSesslerNFL.