THE CANADIAN PRESS

TORONTO -- Rich Stubler's job as the Toronto Argonauts head coach just got a lot tougher.

The Argos introduced quarterback Kerry Joseph on Thursday after acquiring the star quarterback in a trade with the Grey Cup-champion Saskatchewan Roughriders. At the same time, Toronto also announced incumbent Michael Bishop has signed a contract extension through the 2010 season.

It all means Stubler could have a quarterback controversy on his hands once training camp begins in the spring.

Stubler, the club's longtime defensive co-ordinator hired in the off-season to replace Mike (Pinball) Clemons as Argos coach, plans to let Bishop and Joseph battle it out in training camp.

"There is open competition at every position on our football team," he said. "However, having said that . . . Mike and I have talked and Kerry and I have talked and let the cards fall where they may.

"I'm in an enviable position here because I have two quarterbacks sitting beside me who won 26 games last year . . . 26 games in the CFL is two first-place finishes."

In addition to Bishop, Toronto still has backup Rocky Butler under contract and has picked up the option on veteran Damon Allen's deal. Allen, who turns 45 this year, could find himself the odd man out.

"I think soon the Damon Allen situation will be resolved in a very positive way," general manager Adam Rita said. "We'll get that announcement out when it's time."

Rita said he acquired the 34-year-old Joseph, the league's outstanding player last season, because injuries are a fact of life in the CFL -- Joseph was the only quarterback to start all 18 regular-season games last year -- and teams need two bona fide quarterbacks to challenge for the Grey Cup. But the move also gives the impression that the Argos don't feel they can win the big one with Bishop, who was 11-1 in 2007, his first season as Toronto's starter.

Toronto also got a 2010 third-round draft pick in the deal for offensive tackle Glenn January, defensive lineman Ronald Flemons, the Argos' 2008 first-round pick and a 2010 second-round selection.

The six-foot-two, 215-pound Bishop played a big role in Toronto finishing first in the East Division last season. He started all 11 of the club's victories in 2007 and the Argos were a dismal 0-6 without him.

But while Bishop had career highs in yards passing (2,920) and touchdowns (22) last year, he only completed 52.1 per cent of his passes (185 of 355).

Acquiring Joseph certainly strengthens Toronto's quarterback position, but it's hardly a vote of confidence for Bishop. After serving mostly as a backup for five years, Bishop wrested the starting job last season from Allen and initially looked very impressive doing so.

But a broken wrist forced Bishop to miss six weeks. While he continued winning games upon his return, he began reverting back to his earlier CFL days when he relied too much on his cannon right arm to make the big play rather than show patience and take what a defence gave him, something he did very well early in the season.

Bishop, 31, said all the right things Thursday -- he welcomes the challenge of again competing for the No. 1 job and he's content that Joseph's arrival will only help the team. But his body language said otherwise. He remained stoic throughout the news conference and barely smiled when posing with Joseph for photographers afterwards

"The situation is this is an upgrade but as a player . . . you sit back and wonder what's going on?" Bishop said. "I understand it's a business and we're all about making the team better and with Kerry coming in it makes the team better.

"There's a challenge every year, especially for me since I've been in the CFL. Every year it has been something different. But every year at the end of day I'm able to stand up and be proud of myself and what I bring to the team and what I do on the field."

Bishop has no intention of asking to be traded but admitted he's not a fan of being part of a platoon system.

"I definitely want to stay in Toronto . . . if I wasn't in Toronto I may just find another profession," he said. "Life is full of challenges and it's not what the challenge it's how you respond to it and what you make of it.

"I've always felt you can't get into a groove when you're going in and out like that. But if that's the way we have to go to win a championship, then I'm all for it. You don't want to get caught in a situation where one quarterback is hot and then you do the rotation thing, especially if Kerry is hot I don't want to go out there and break his groove and hopefully he feels the same way about me. But those decisions are out of our hands."

Joseph was the CFL's third-ranked passer in 2007 with 4,002 yards -- only one of three quarterbacks to surpass the 4,000-yard plateau. But the six-foot-one, 215-pound Joseph was the league's top-rushing quarterback with 737 yards (8.2-yard average) and ran for 13 touchdowns.

In Joseph's mind, he's going to training camp as Toronto's starter.

"If you go into camp otherwise, you're cheating yourself," he said. "I know Michael is going to think he same thing but you welcome that this game and this business that we're in is all about competition week in and week out and day after day.

"You embrace that because I think that as a player makes you better and in the long run I think it's going to make us better as a team."

But money was also a big factor in the deal.

Joseph took a $125,000 pay cut prior to last season as the Riders were forced to shave about $800,000 in payroll to reach the CFL's $4.05-million salary cap. Following the Grey Cup, Joseph and the club began talking about an extension -- Joseph is entering his option year -- but GM Eric Tillman said Wednesday night he simply couldn't afford to pay Joseph accordingly because it would've meant significantly restructuring his roster to adhere to the salary cap.

Joseph was scheduled to earn $250,000 this year but was looking to be paid on par with other CFL starters, many of whom make between $300,000 and $350,000.

Joseph said he hasn't spoken to the Argos brass about an extension but is confident one can be reached.

"I know this is a great ownership and I know they're going to do what's best for this team," he said. "I have a lot of faith in them that things are going to work out and I'm going to be happy, they're going to be happy and at the end of the day we can hold that trophy up in November."