Stefan Logan could be set to go from the Detroit Lions to the B.C. Lions, but will he help?

The B.C. Lions have really fired up the DeLorean this year, bringing in such notable past names as Chris Wilson and Buck Pierce, and it looks like they may be set to go back to the future again. According to Lowell Ullrich of The Province, the team is preparing to sign running back/kick returner Stefan Logan to a practice-roster deal, and that's set to happen next week. Logan racked up 889 rushing yards (with a 7.3 yards per carry average) and added 52 catches for 477 yards during his lone CFL season in 2008. He then went to the NFL as a returner and had several successful seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Detroit Lions before being cut this offseason. Logan's 32 now, which isn't usually a good sign for CFL running backs (and brings up all sorts of parallels to the fantastic Logan's Run), but given the recent struggles of the B.C. rushing game and their oft-stated desire to push Tim Brown in the return game, bringing him back might make some sense for the Lions.

It may be the return game where Logan has the biggest impact, actually. Reintegrating him into the offence after five years could be tricky; although B.C. still has the same offensive coordinator in Jacques Chapdelaine, most of the players have changed, and the playbook has undoubtedly evolved substantially as well. Moreover, going to Logan as a starting running back would carry ratio issues, as the current starter (Andrew Harris) is Canadian; replacing Harris would mean the Lions have to swap an import somewhere else out for a non-import.

By contrast, using Logan in the return game should be much more plug-and-play (appropriate for a guy nicknamed "Joystick"); while he'll still need to learn the various blocking schemes B.C.'s using now, returning kicks and punts is generally easier to pick up than learning a full offensive playbook. Brown's been quite good this year, and he's second in the CFL in combined return yards with 1,711 (only 56 behind Larry Taylor for first), but giving him some competition at least in practice is something the Lions have often tried to do. Moreover, Logan's been focused on returns and returns alone for most of his NFL career, so this should be an easier transition for him. Thus, it wouldn't be surprising to see him utilized there.

However, there may also be a role for Logan on offence. It's unlikely he's going to completely replace Harris, who had a remarkable season last year and isn't doing too poorly overall this year (760 rushing yards and six touchdowns, albeit with a less-than-stellar 4.8 yards-per-carry average), but he could potentially spell him in some sets and plays, or even pair with him in double-tailback sets. At 5'11 and 213 pounds, Harris is probably a better straight-ahead rusher than 5'6'', 180-pound Logan, but Logan might have more speed and acceleration for plays to the outside. Both excel at catching passes out of the backfield, too. A two-tailback set featuring both of these guys could really give defences problems to worry about.

Of course, it's also possible that Logan comes in to the practice squad and never advances beyond that. He hasn't been playing much this year, so there's no guarantee he'll be in game shape, and no one knows how well he'll readjust to the CFL after five seasons away. No one knows exactly how much he has left in the tank at 32, either. Still, this seems like a smart gamble for B.C. general manager Wally Buono. All he's risking is a practice-squad spot, and at worst, he gives Harris and Brown some motivation to improve thanks to the presence of a former star who could potentially replace them. At best, he adds another capable weapon to the Lions' offensive arsenal ahead of the playoffs.