Vikings announce Bishop signing

Desmond Bishop is officially a Viking.

The team made the announcement this afternoon, three days after the former Green Bay linebacker agreed to terms. To make room on the 90-player roster, linebacker Stanford Keglar was cut.

The announcement was made on Twitter.

Bishop, who spent seven seasons with the Packers, was taken in the sixth round of the 2007 NFL Draft out of Cal. He was a starter at inside linebacker in the Packers' 3-4 scheme in 2010, when they won a Super Bowl, and 2011 before missing last season because of a ruptured hamstring.

Bishop is reported to have a one-year deal for around $1 million and will likely play middle linebacker in the Vikings' 4-3 defense, although weak-side linebacker Erin Henderson was at the mike position during mini-camp. Marvin Mitchell and rookie Gerald Hodges took reps at weak-side linebacker during that mini-camp last week.

The Vikings report to training camp in Mankato on July 25, the day after Bishop's 29th birthday.

In a brief conference call with local reporters following the announcement, Bishop said he will be ready to go when training camp starts.

He said he's healthy, but Bishop hasn't played in a regular season game in more than a year.

"You know what? I'm not sure," Bishop said when asked how difficult it will be to return to top form. "But, after watching a guy named Adrian Peterson come back from his torn ACL, and how well he did it, I have a lot of confidence I can do the same."

Bishop sustained his injury during the preseason last season. He said it took six or seven months following surgery last August before he was running at or near full speed. "It's still a process," he said. "I have to build on my strength and endurance, all the little things. You never max out on that stuff. Still, to this day, I'm working on getting as strong as I can, and I feel really good."

Bishop said he hasn't talked in detail with Vikings coaches about whether he will line up at middle linebacker or on the weak side. But he said he's capable of playing both positions.