Some of the rookies and selected vets who reported to training camp early have been through training camps before. Of course, Donovan McNabb is here, but he's a quarterback working with the young receivers. Brian Westbrook is also here, but that's because he has to rehab his ankle.
There is another player here in camp early who is a two-time all-star. Wait? You've almost got it. No?
OK, here's the answer - safety Byron Parker.
A two-time all-star in the Canadian Football League, Parker is trying to fulfill a dream by making it to the NFL. Before he left for training camp, Parker's mother, Annette, hosted a cookout where Parker's family members all signed a T-shirt for him to use as inspiration. The former Toronto Argonaut had 18 picks over the past three seasons and returned six of those for touchdowns.
"Mentally, in the CFL I was a big fish in a little pond," Parker said as he arrived Sunday. "Now, I'm a little fish in a big pond. I think that's the biggest difference. Football is football at the end of the day. The one thing I do love is that I don't have receivers running at me before the ball is hiked, so I think will be a benefit for me.
"I'm excited about putting the pads on and showing that the CFL guys can play too."
Parker's road to making the roster is a tough one. The 6-foot, 210-pound Parker is being looked at more as a safety and will have to battle Quintin Mikell, Quintin Demps, Sean Jones, Rashad Baker and Macho Harris for a spot on the team.
-- Posted by Chris McPherson, 8:22 p.m., July 26
