Vikings linebacker Desmond Bishop out for season with knee injury

The Vikings will be without outside linebacker Desmond Bishop for the remainder of the season.

Bishop, in his first start for the team, tore the ACL in his right knee in Sunday's 35-10 loss to Carolina. Coach Leslie Frazier said this afternoon that an MRI revealed the injury, and Bishop faces reconstructive knee surgery. Marvin Mitchell will step back into his previous role as a starting outside backer.

Bishop (@Desbishop55) sent out a string of tweets later in the afternoon:

Ppl close to me won't agree but I feel I let u down. To my family, teammates, coaches, Vikings organization, fand & mostly myself..I'm sorry

So much I wanted to accomplish this year, so much I wanted to help my team accomplish is gone! Miffed that I couldn't prove doubters wrong

I'm a firm believer that the universe always even things out... Never too high/never too low.. That's how I know my future burns bright!!

But with all that said, its back to the drawing board for me. I've Been here before & it's a hard & humble path but I'm embracing every step

The rest of the injury report: Safety Harrison Smith (turf toe) has an MRI scheduled for today. Cornerback Xavier Rhodes sprained an ankle in Sunday's loss, but Frazier said Rhodes should be ready for Monday night's game in New York against the Giants.

Smith walked through the locker room during the access period wearing a grimace and a walking boot. Turf toe is commonly a ligament sprain around the joint of a big toe.

No QB news: Frazier said he would make a decision on the starting quarterback by Wednesday. Matt Cassel struggled to move the team on Sunday in relief of the benched Christian Ponder, and it seems likely that newly acquired Josh Freeman might take over.

"It would be a bit difficult [to step in to the Vikings' system], but Josh is a bright young man," Frazier said.

About the CBs: Frazier seemed to absolve cornerback Josh Robinson from much of the blame Robinson has been taking after being apparently victimized for two touchdowns -- a 2-yarder to Steve Smith and a 79-yarder to Brandon LaFell. LaFell beat Robinson out of the slot on the 79-yarder, but it looked as if Robinson anticipated zone coverage and Rhodes was playing man-to-man. Rhodes might have had coverage responsibility on that play.

"Xavier ... there are some things he can definitely do better, he's got to defend certain routes better than he is, but some of that will be in the inexperience that he has, and as he gains more experience, he gets put in some of those same situations, he should get better and better."