The Surprising Free Agent Pursuit of Desmond Bishop

Maybe I shouldn't be so surprised. LB Desmond Bishop is a starting linebacker who only lost his job because of a hamstring injury that happened a year ago. But after watching him closely over the past several seasons, I don't see a player that multiple teams should be fighting for.

Giants, Jaguars join Vikings, Chiefs in Desmond Bishop chase http://t.co/BRQrRq68K0
— NFL: AroundTheLeague (@NFL_ATL) June 21, 2013

Bishop had an exceptional 2010 season, and recorded five sacks in 2011, but now he's coming off a lost year. The only advantage he has over someone like free agent LB Nick Barnett, who Pro Football Focus said had "two decent years in Buffalo", is that Bishop is under age 30. It would seem that Barnett's relative health (he hasn't missed a game since 2010) would offset that Bishop's three years younger, but that doesn't appear to be the case since at least three teams are in hot pursuit for Bishop while Barnett has been unemployed since February.

Just in case anyone was worried that the Packers might have made a mistake in releasing Bishop, Pro Football Focus called LB Brad Jones a "Secret Superstar" while also noting that LB A.J. Hawk had his best pro season in 2012. GM Ted Thompson wasn't going to pay three inside linebackers like they were starters, so someone had to go and Bishop hasn't been outstanding since 2010.