Packers To Part Ways With Bishop?

[rbaloha1]

Our D was the worst in the NFL in 2011. It moved up into the top half in 2012.

2011 - 411.6 ypg
2012 - 336.8 ypg

Okay -- but can it stop the read option?

[ThunderDan]

Okay -- but can it stop the read option?

Give them a summer to figure it out now that it is on tape.

We will find out in week 1 if we did.

[rbaloha1]

Give them a summer to figure it out now that it is on tape.

We will find out in week 1 if we did.

Do you have faith?

[Fritz]

Okay -- but can it stop the read option?

On the surface, it would appear that the type and seriousness of the injury are factors in his release. It's not that he was injured, in and of itself; it's that he suffered a type of injury from which it is hard to return if as serious as his was.

However, other factors likely play in. Maybe each position group has a rough cap limit in Thompson's mind and Bishop's pay, combined with the type of injury, made for too much risk.

Another possibility is the one RB mentions - that perhaps the team sees Bishop as not suited to stop the read option. He's not the fastest nor the best in coverage.

But damn I hope they don't release him. He couldn't cover very well, but he had a nose for the ball and often moved blockers.

[rbaloha1]

On the surface, it would appear that the type and seriousness of the injury are factors in his release. It's not that he was injured, in and of itself; it's that he suffered a type of injury from which it is hard to return if as serious as his was.

However, other factors likely play in. Maybe each position group has a rough cap limit in Thompson's mind and Bishop's pay, combined with the type of injury, made for too much risk.

Another possibility is the one RB mentions - that perhaps the team sees Bishop as not suited to stop the read option. He's not the fastest nor the best in coverage.

But damn I hope they don't release him. He couldn't cover very well, but he had a nose for the ball and often moved blockers.

Please -- I am a Bishop fan and believe DB can control the dive when coupled with Pickett.


The release imo is the unwillingness of DB to be a backup.

[Bossman641]

Very confused by this news if it's true. There cannot be any contractual reason to release him at this time, is there? And the team doesn't reconvene until TC in late July. Why not keep him around for another 2 months and see where he stands injury-wise then? Would they be releasing him now as a favor to him?

[mraynrand]

Bishop and Smith could be victims of a new approach to injuries.

And the fact that there are 5 other ILBs on the roster. There must be something that keeps this team from falling in love with him because his sack and forced fumble numbers are not going to be easy to duplicate.

Two good points. I can't help but think back to Bishop's first play from scrimmage in replacement of Barnett - too slow to the ball and gives up a TD at Minnesota. Sure, he's more suited to ILB in a 3-4, is a aggressive, good tackler, rushes the passer OK, but maybe the Packers are more worried about pass coverage from their ILB position - and as you suggest, know more than we do about the injury.

[mraynrand]

The chief value to be obtained from reading McGinn's stuff is for his player evaluations pre-draft. His reporting about the Packer operations? Not so accurate.

I've been wondering about that more and more of late. He seems to be talking to people who are at least one step removed from the day to day stuff. Also, he seems to talk to Thompson a lot, and TT won't say anything accurate - or at least revealing - about any player. Like to know his sources.

[cheesner]

Good post even though disagree with your contentions.

The Packers are attempting to get bigger and more physical as evidenced by the weight gain of Finley, bigger blocking tight end Mulligan and the punishing runner in Lacy.

Again the o-linemen are capable of gaining weight as evidenced by Persian guy weighing at 305lbs (290-295 at combine) and Tretter making big weight gains since a college freshman.

Pickett is in his contract year -- do you think RP is going to allow himself to morph into a sumo wrestler?

It the Packers want to get bigger, why would they draft smaller players and hope they get bigger?

Finley got bigger, Pickett got smaller. I'm not seeing a trend.

I think it is fairly obvious to most people that McGinn was completely wrong in his 'inside information' on the direction the Packers were taking. To me its not a big deal, what killed his credibility is his post draft assertion that the Packers traded back trying to not draft Lacy but were eventually forced into taking him. I mean really.


As far as cutting ties with Bishop, I am shocked. We do not have all the info, and here are the possibilities:

1. His injury is going to reduce his ability to play in the Packer's view
2. They like Jones more than many posters do. Personally, I was very impressed with him as a rookie and thought we had a hidden gem. I have cooled on him in subsequent season, not seeing much improvement. But know this - he has the tools to be a very good player.
3. Another player on the roster is expected to emerge. Packers want to get as many reps in for the young pup to get him ready to be an impact player. My bet here would be Terrell Manning who has greatly impressed me. Having a stomach virus that makes you sick as a dog, playing through it, losing 15 lbs, and still playing okay, makes me think if he is healthy he can be impactful.

[Smidgeon]

I doubt Finley is any bigger than he was in 2010 when he lost weight to play more like a WR and get a WR contract/franchise tag. I'm surprised nobody has pounced on this yet. He lost weight on his own that year, and now he's putting it back on. It wasn't to become bigger. It was to get back to where he was in 2010 when he was on pace to be the best TE in the league.

[pbmax]

Please -- I am a Bishop fan and believe DB can control the dive when coupled with Pickett.


The release imo is the unwillingness of DB to be a backup.

That would be fantastic diagnosis if the problem had been the running back on the option. And again, its not a dive.

Bishop was an ILB with Pickett on the LOS and contributed to a terrible run defense in 2011. He isn't a savior. Whatever he does well, its not enough on its own to be a difference maker.

His turnovers (FF) and sacks will be missed more than run D.

[Patler]

This is one of the stranger moves I can recall. Bishop claims he's healthy. Brandon Chillar tore his hammie and ended up retiring a few years back.

I suspect your second sentence explains exactly why the move is not strange. Bishop has claimed to be healed, but a few weeks ago or so I read a comment from him about being some % toward fully healed, but certain that he would be healed for camp. The Packers may have less faith in that prognosis.

Re-signing Jones foreshadowed this. With Hawk's restructure, I thought there might be an outside chance they would keep all three, but there certainly are better places to spend salary cap dollars than paying two starters for one position.

[RashanGary]

I suspect your second sentence explains exactly why the move is not strange. Bishop has claimed to be healed, but a few weeks ago or so I read a comment from him about being some % toward fully healed, but certain that he would be healed for camp. The Packers may have less faith in that prognosis.

Re-signing Jones foreshadowed this. With Hawk's restructure, I thought there might be an outside chance they would keep all three, but there certainly are better places to spend salary cap dollars than paying two starters for one position.

This makes a lot of sense. We have a couple young guys in the wings too.

[Joemailman]

Two good points. I can't help but think back to Bishop's first play from scrimmage in replacement of Barnett - too slow to the ball and gives up a TD at Minnesota. Sure, he's more suited to ILB in a 3-4, is a aggressive, good tackler, rushes the passer OK, but maybe the Packers are more worried about pass coverage from their ILB position - and as you suggest, know more than we do about the injury.

Maybe what this all points to is the Packers wanting to play more base 3-4, or a 3-4/4-3 hybrid. If you're going to do that, your ILB's have to be able to cover, and that is more a strength of Jones and Francois than it is of Bishop.

[Guiness]

The way this is playing out is odd. I would also guess that Bishop is not fully healed, and the Packers don't expect him to. Do they only expect him to be a backup going forward, hence the reduced salary? If they think that's his ceiling going forward, I would expect he's a bubble candidate if someone else steps up.