Stefan Logan, as an NFL Lion. Credit: Jeffrey Beall
After a five year absence, running back/return specialist Stefan Logan is ready to start his second stint with the first team to give him a shot.
On Monday, Oct. 14, after much speculation, Logan and the BC Lions agreed to a practice roster deal and he will likely make his season debut this week against the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
This isn’t the first time this year that Lions general manager Wally Buono has looked to the past for help. Earlier, he brought back former starting quarterback Buck Pierce in a trade with Winnipeg and signed defensive end Chris Wilson. Both Pierce and Wilson joined the Lions in 2005 and were on the 2006 Grey Cup championship team.
Despite playing only one season with BC in 2008, Logan made a name for himself and was an instant fan favourite. He had 889 rushing yards on 122 attempts, which was good for an impressive 7.3 yards-per-carry average. He also added 52 receptions for 477 yards and three touchdowns, as well as 392 total return yards.
At the end of that season, Logan took his talent south of the border and signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers, where he set the team record for most kick return yards in a season in 2009. Despite his strong performance, he was released by the Steelers and later joined the Detroit Lions where he played for three seasons. He was a Pro Bowl alternate in 2010 but had one mistake late in the 2012 season that ultimately led to his release.
Now that he’s back with the BC Lions, his role has yet to be defined. The Lions have an established running back in Andrew Harris, who is currently third in the CFL in rushing, and a solid kick returner in Tim Brown, who is leading the league in combined return yards. Because Logan and Brown are both import players (non-Canadians) while Harris is a non-import (Canadian), Logan will likely take Brown’s spot on the roster in order to meet the CFL’s import ratio.
In that case, Logan would mainly handle return duties, while also taking some snaps at running back. The Lions running game needs a boost, as they have averaged just 96 rushing yards a game this season. While this is mainly due to an injury-riddled offensive line and some suspect play calling, Logan will have the opportunity to provide a spark to a struggling unit.
All indications from the Lions practices indicate that he is in great shape and is just as fast, if not faster than he was in 2008. However, it would be overly optimistic to expect a huge game from Logan this week. He has to learn the Lions’ playbook all over again and re-adjust to the CFL rules, which are significantly different from the NFL.
But if he can make the most of his opportunities and make a positive impact, Logan’s return to the Lions will certainly help the team.
