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Primary Mark<br />
VETERANS<br />
DESMOND Ht: 6-2 Wt: 238<br />
Third <strong>NFL</strong> Season<br />
Third Packers Season<br />
BISHOP<br />
LINEBACKER<br />
CALIFORNIA<br />
Born: July 24, 1984<br />
<strong>NFL</strong> Gm. Played/Started: 25/1<br />
Acquired: D6b-07<br />
ADMIN. &<br />
BISHOP COACHES COMMUNITY<br />
LAMBEAU RECORDS &<br />
DRAFT &<br />
MISC. FIELD HISTORY 2008 REVIEW FREE AGENTS<br />
Sixth-round pick in<br />
2007 has served as a<br />
backup linebacker and<br />
made an impact as a special teams regular his first two<br />
seasons…Got more extensive action in his second year<br />
as his duties expanded from strictly middle linebacker to<br />
PRO<br />
career<br />
include some work at the weak-side spot<br />
as well…Got one start at WLB in Week<br />
14 vs. Houston and posted career highs<br />
with 12 tackles, including eight solo, and<br />
two forced fumbles, along with his first career sack…<br />
Most likely projects as an inside linebacker in the Packers’<br />
new 3-4 defensive scheme, but could also see time on the<br />
outside as his role and the extent of his playing time remain<br />
to be determined…Led the Packers with three forced<br />
fumbles last season and boosted his career totals to 33<br />
tackles (22 solo) to go along with 27 special teams tackles<br />
in two years…After battling an Achilles injury during<br />
training camp, came on strong in the final two preseason<br />
games to keep his roster spot and stayed relatively healthy<br />
in his second season, unlike his first when he missed six<br />
games because of a shoulder injury…Began <strong>com</strong>ing into<br />
his own late in his rookie year, making four special teams<br />
tackles in one game at St. Louis (Dec. 16, 2007)…Had a<br />
notable rookie preseason, leading the team with 18 preseason<br />
tackles and starting once in the middle for Nick<br />
Barnett (coach’s decision)…Productivity was evident in<br />
college at Cal, leading the team in tackles both his seasons<br />
there…Also led the Pacific-10 Conference in 2006<br />
with 126 tackles, the most tackles recorded by a Cal player<br />
since Jerrott Willard in 1993 and the first player to lead the<br />
conference in tackles since then…Most likely fell to the<br />
sixth round in the draft because of less-than-ideal speed<br />
for his position, but makes up for that with instincts and<br />
strength…Did 33 reps of 225 pounds on the bench press<br />
at the Combine…Started all 25 games he appeared in at<br />
Cal (after transferring from junior college), collecting 215<br />
tackles (125 solo), 21 stops for loss, three sacks, three<br />
interceptions, four passes defensed, three forced fumbles<br />
and two fumble recoveries…Ninth player from Cal drafted<br />
by the Packers and second in three-year period, joining QB<br />
Aaron Rodgers (D1-05).<br />
2008 season<br />
Played in 15 games with one start<br />
and made 27 tackles on defense<br />
(18 solo) with one sack, taking on work at weak-side<br />
linebacker in addition to his customary duties backing<br />
up the middle...Led team with three forced fumbles...Finished<br />
third on the team with career-high 15 special teams<br />
tackles...On the field for over 71 percent of team’s special<br />
teams plays, second-most on the team…Vs. Minnesota<br />
(Sept. 8): On Will Blackmon’s 76-yard punt return for<br />
a score, took out a Vikings player on the sideline to allow<br />
Blackmon to cut back across the field…Vs. Dallas<br />
(Sept. 21): Took some snaps on defense when Barnett<br />
left game briefly late in first quarter with elbow injury...At<br />
Tampa Bay (Sept. 28): Saw action at WLB when A.J.<br />
Hawk went out with groin injury and posted three tackles…Vs.<br />
Indianapolis (Oct. 19): Tied for team lead<br />
with two special teams tackles, including one stop of WR<br />
►►Has served as a backup linebacker<br />
and played primarily<br />
on special teams his first two<br />
seasons.<br />
►►Led the team with three forced<br />
fumbles in 2008.<br />
►►Led the Pacific-10 in tackles<br />
in 2006 with 126, the first Cal at a glance…<br />
player to lead the conference in<br />
13 years.<br />
►►Physically strong and powerful, having bench-pressed 225<br />
pounds 33 times at the <strong>NFL</strong> Scouting Combine.<br />
►►Father, Dennis, played football collegiately at Illinois and<br />
professionally in the USFL.<br />
At Minnesota (Nov. 9): Saw extensive action in second<br />
half at MLB after Barnett left on the first series of the<br />
second half with a knee injury and recorded nine tackles.<br />
Forced RB Adrian Peterson to fumble on a 4th-and-1 run<br />
in the fourth quarter that the Vikings recovered, but gave<br />
the Packers possession on downs at the Minnesota 41 to<br />
set up a Mason Crosby field goal. Added a season-high<br />
three special teams tackles and made a key block on Nick<br />
Collins’ 59-yard interception return for a TD to allow him<br />
to cut across the field…Vs. Houston (Dec. 7): Started<br />
first career game, opening up at WLB in place of an injured<br />
Brandon Chillar, and posted a career-high 12 tackles and a<br />
career-best two forced fumbles. Registered his first career<br />
sack when he brought down Matt Schaub for a 6-yard loss<br />
in the second quarter, broke into the backfield to stop FB<br />
Cecil Sapp for a 3-yard loss on a 3rd-and-1 in the first<br />
quarter, forced a fumble early in the second quarter by<br />
TE Owen Daniels at the Green Bay 1 that CB Tramon Williams<br />
recovered at the 3, and forced another fumble by<br />
Daniels in the fourth quarter that went out of bounds…<br />
At Chicago (Dec. 22): Matched his season high with<br />
three special teams tackles and made one stop in limited<br />
action on defense.<br />
2007<br />
Served as the backup middle linebacker and<br />
made an impact as a special-teams regular after<br />
earning a roster spot with a productive preseason that<br />
included a team-high 18 tackles…Played in 10 games and<br />
inactive for the other six, mostly due to a shoulder injury…<br />
Posted 12 special teams tackles and six on defense (four<br />
solo)…At Detroit (Nov. 22): Saw his first career action<br />
on defense, playing one snap…At St. Louis (Dec. 16):<br />
Registered a team- and career-high four special teams<br />
tackles…Vs. Detroit (Dec. 30): Saw his most extensive<br />
action of the season on defense, entering the game for<br />
Barnett in the second quarter and tallying six tackles (four<br />
solo), the first tackles from scrimmage of his career…Vs.<br />
N.Y. Giants (Jan. 20): In NFC Championship, made two<br />
special teams tackles.<br />
college<br />
After transferring from junior college,<br />
started all 25 games he appeared in at<br />
Cal, collecting 215 tackles (125 solo), 21 stops for loss,<br />
three sacks, three interceptions, four passes defensed,<br />
three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries…Led Cal<br />
in tackles both his seasons there…Majored in interdisciplinary<br />
studies…Senior season (2006): Led the Pacif-<br />
Pierre Garcon on a kickoff return at the Indianapolis 14…<br />
25 82
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