Lowell Ullrich
The Province

The understandable debate after the signing of Byron Parker by the BC Lions Thursday was to name some of the best defensive secondary pairings in the history of the CFL.

Defensive backs coach Mark Washington had a vote.

“One year in Montreal we had myself, Irv Smith, Lester Smith, Davis Sanchez and Barron [Miles]. That wasn’t bad,” he said.

Byron Parker had his favourite too, even though he wasn’t part of a 2005 Toronto Argonauts group that featured the likes of Clifford Ivory, Orlondo Steinhauer, Kenny Wheaton and Jordan Younger.

But with what the Lions have done in free agency so far this year, they will not get to training camp without similar comparisons being made to their own group, starting just as soon as they figure out where everyone will play.

A day after Argos teammate Lin-J Shell signed, Parker followed with a two-year deal of his own and was joined by Saskatchewan non-import running back Stu Foord, making a nice haul for Vancouver-based agent Dan Vertlieb, who represents all three additions.

Measured solely by his desire to be reunited with defensive coordinator Rich Stubler, who called him nine minutes after free agency began Wednesday, Parker should have been the first to sign.

But with Shell, Dante Marsh, Korey Banks and Ryan Phillips among the other committed import mainstays, the Lions’ secondary this year has the potential to be measured in a much more glowing fashion.

“If I’m the weak link in that defence we should do pretty good,” said Parker, whose most eye-popping number is the league-record nine interceptions he has returned for touchdowns in his career.'

“But what I’m really looking forward to is being on a team than can put up that many points. It’s going to allow a defence to take chances.”

BC had the best contract offer, but Stubler was the biggest draw. Parker had almost no football experience in 2006 when he joined the Argos. But Stubler, who was the Argos’ defensive mastermind at the time, saw something in the fact only three years earlier the athletic but raw Parker was the NCAA basketball slam dunk champion at Tulane.

“He saw something in me I didn’t see in myself,” Parker said.

And the relationship has only grown from there.

“He had a point guard’s eyes,” Stubler said, asked to recall his first impression of Parker and the pact between the two. “He’s like a son to me.”

Presumably, that should make it easy for the Lions to convince Parker to move back to the wide-side cornerback spot held at the end of last year by Phillips. Marsh and Banks will remain a short-side pairing, with Shell battling Anthony Reddick to be the hybrid linebacker.

Unless, of course, the Lions keep signing ex-Toronto cover guys like free agent safety Willie Pile, a ratio move the team could still consider if an non-import linebacker like James Yurichuk is in the plans to replace Solomon Elimimian.

Parker will certainly not replace Marsh, a fellow Atlanta resident who talked to him daily for three months about joining the Leos. He may, however, end up being Stubler’s best on-field tutor of the complex defence scheme the Lions will utilize this year as they potentially go from a good secondary to something better.

“[Stubler’s] defence is like a chameleon, because it has the ability to change shades,” said Parker, who has been named a league all-star three times in seven seasons and is now part of a secondary which has 10 selections overall.

“What makes it so complex is the ability for it to transform and take different shapes due to formation or even the opposing quarterback. His ability to break down offensive schemes each week is amazing. Back then I never realized how special he is. Now that I understand the game I realize this guy here is special.”

Though the attention and expense associated so far to the secondary didn’t prevent the Lions from lining up 26-year-old Foord — a four-year Riders veteran who’ll give his new team a pairing with fellow junior Andrew Harris — it likely will mean the end of another goal.

That was spelled out by general manager Wally Buono when asked if there was still cap room left for veteran free agent tackle Aaron Hunt after his two signings.

“My salary structure has changed,” said Buono.

The talk about all-stars in their secondary, however, has only started.