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Freddie Bishop (OLB) Signed


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CFL standout who had 11 sacks last year:

http://calgaryherald.com/sports/football/cfl/calgary-stampeders/stampeders-de-freddie-bishop-jetting-south-for-nfl-opportunity-in-new-york

 

Teams across the CFL will no longer have to worry about this Bishop attacking their king.

The New York Jets provided the checkmate on Freddie Bishop III’s tenure with the Calgary Stampeders on Friday, signing the 25-year-old defensive end to a contract that will see him trade in his Red & White for Green & White after three seasons north of the border.

“I had a great visit,” Bishop said Friday evening from his home in Detroit, where he was celebrating the new two-year pact with family. “I went there and talked to the GM and everything was just lining up and it seemed like a good fit, so that’s where I ended up setting my feet.”

Bishop worked out for seven NFL teams since December, but decided on the Jets and head coach Todd Bowles, who is known for his creative defensive schemes.

He’s now focused on getting to work, not on the Jets depth chart in the front seven, which is considered one of the best in the NFL but could lose star defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson to free agency.

“To be completely honest with you, I haven’t even got that far like where I see myself or ‘I want to beat out this guy or beat out that guy,’” said Bishop, who noted the Jets envision him as a 4-3 defensive end or 3-4 outside linebacker. “My mindset right now is just go in there and grind. It’s something I’ve been doing all my life, every team I’ve been on. You show yourself, you prove yourself and your spot will emerge.”

While the 6-foot-3, 255-lb., Western Michigan product’s first year and change with the Stampeders was mostly nondescript as he toiled away on the practice roster and flip-flopped from the edge to inside at defensive tackle, Bishop’s ascension began in the 2014 Grey Cup win over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

Forced into the lineup for an ailing Charleston Hughes, Bishop made a ring-saving play late in the game on the goal-line, stunting inside and stopping Nic Grigsby in his tracks to hold the Ticats to a field-goal.

Bishop, out of emotion, had to pause for a second when asked to recall the stuff inside the five-yard line at BC Place on Nov. 30, 2014.

“That’s just special, man,” Bishop said. “Coaches, players always say, ‘Hey, man, watch film. Watch film and you’ll be a great player and you’ll know what’s happening before it happens.’ That play in the Grey Cup is just a perfect example of that. I bust my hump watching film and doing what I needed to do, and when that time came, the guy went in motion and I knew exactly what the play was and I was able to stunt in there and, like you said, make a game-saving play.”

Bishop’s NFL deal continues the rotating door at the defensive end spot opposite of Hughes.

Following the 2013 season, it was Cordarro Law parlaying a 14-sack season into a contract with the San Diego Chargers.

After the Grey Cup in 2014, it was Shawn Lemon turning a 13-sack campaign into tryouts with the Pittsburgh Steelers and San Francisco 49ers.

Bishop’s 11-sack 2015 season has now done the same.

He’s also the second Stampeder to sign an NFL deal this off-season, after receiver Eric Rogers inked a lucrative contract with the 49ers late last month.

Seeing his former teammates turn CFL production into NFL opportunity gave him the blueprint.

“It gave me a lot of confidence, man,” Bishop said. “Calgary was always about that next guy up. There was always a gauge there. A lot of times in football you don’t have a gauge, but I had a gauge like, ‘Law did this. Alright. Lemon did this. And they got here, and they got there.’ I had a realistic goal to kind of set for myself.”

One year later, that goal is now a reality.

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“That’s just special, man,” Bishop said. “Coaches, players always say, ‘Hey, man, watch film. Watch film and you’ll be a great player and you’ll know what’s happening before it happens.’ That play in the Grey Cup is just a perfect example of that. I bust my hump watching film and doing what I needed to do, and when that time came, the guy went in motion and I knew exactly what the play was and I was able to stunt in there and, like you said, make a game-saving play.”

That's what I like to hear! Hope it pans out for both parties.

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I'm clueless on the level of competition he's playing against but the
video definitely shows the elements you want in an edge rusher:

- Good closing speed
- Good hand usage
- Aggressive
- Relentless to the ball
- He also showed the ability to set the edge on running plays

Would'nt it be great if we found our Cam Wake

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Cimini's article lists him signing a futures contract along with Kyle Brindza, a kicker who was 50% for the Bucs last year.  Carl should like him, he was a Golden Domer.  Not sure about Bishop being a future contract or not.  Are those 2 year deals?  FWIW, the Lions cut him loose, so don't be expecting too much.

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1 hour ago, #27TheDominator said:

Cimini's article lists him signing a futures contract along with Kyle Brindza, a kicker who was 50% for the Bucs last year.  Carl should like him, he was a Golden Domer.  Not sure about Bishop being a future contract or not.  Are those 2 year deals?  FWIW, the Lions cut him loose, so don't be expecting too much.

The Kicker is probably only signed for camp competition as Bullock will be released since he is a FA.

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10 hours ago, 32EBoozer said:

“That’s just special, man,” Bishop said. “Coaches, players always say, ‘Hey, man, watch film. Watch film and you’ll be a great player and you’ll know what’s happening before it happens.’ That play in the Grey Cup is just a perfect example of that. I bust my hump watching film and doing what I needed to do, and when that time came, the guy went in motion and I knew exactly what the play was and I was able to stunt in there and, like you said, make a game-saving play.”

That's what I like to hear! Hope it pans out for both parties.

This is such an important aspect of the game. Recognition and anticipation = instinct. This was the biggest downfall of Vernon Gholston. Dude played so much slower than his physical ability, because he just didn't understand what was happening around him... in contrast, you've got guys that are built wrong, lack elite physical tools, but become far greater players by having the right instincts... good example of this was James Harrison of the Steelers. 

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20 minutes ago, Integrity28 said:

This is such an important aspect of the game. Recognition and anticipation = instinct. This was the biggest downfall of Vernon Gholston. Dude played so much slower than his physical ability, because he just didn't understand what was happening around him... in contrast, you've got guys that are built wrong, lack elite physical tools, but become far greater players by having the right instincts... good example of this was James Harrison of the Steelers

Very good example. Guy was always making plays because he had a high football IQ and was always prepared from film study. 

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Good 'ol MacDaddy adding another chess piece for Bowles:

Next season.

Our 2nd game against the Pats.

We won the first contest, and winning this game will give us a commanding lead in the division.

It's 24-20 Jets.

We've taken out their rooks, knights, and most of their pawns. But, the game is now in the hands of their most powerful piece.

4th Quarter. 45 seconds remaining. 15 yard line. Jets territory. 4th down.

It's the Patriot's final chance to score. To win the game and keep their division hopes alive. Having held Gronk to 43 yards on 3 catches in the first three quarters, he is finally coming alive with 60 yards on 5 catches in the 4th. The defense is exhausted. Brady has begun to figure out the elaborate blitz schemes. An assistant coach on the Jets sideline runs over to Bowles in a cold sweat:

"Todd, what are we gonna do? What's the play here?"

Bowles narrows his eyes. Not a drop of sweat can be seen on his stoic, emotionless face. His purses his lips into the slightest, wry, little smile. He turns to the assistant, and, without any hint of sarcasm, says:

"Bishop to Queen."

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