It's been a quiet week in the B.C. Lions' camp, with the team buckling down for serious workouts after getting off to their worst start since 2004.

With the Lions at 1-3, a small but vocal group of restless fans have been calling for the return of 2004 CFL Most Outstanding Player Casey Printers, who was jettisoned by Hamilton after struggling over parts of two seasons with the Ti-Cats.

But Lions owner David Braley poured cold water on the suggestion in a recent radio interview.

"[Bringing Printers back] would be a terrible mistake," he said. "I don't see the upside."

When the interviewer made the suggestion that bringing Printers back would sell some tickets, Braley replied with: "Like he did in Hamilton?" and added: "I don't get involved in [football operations], I pay Wally [Buono] to do that."

As much nostalgia and love Printers 2004 dream season stirs up among Lions fans, the fact is: he doesn't have it anymore.

Since 2005, he has completed 56 per cent of his passes, which is in the same ballpark as current back-up Jarious Jackson. Printers has thrown 15 touchdowns to 20 interceptions in that time as well, Danny McManus circa-1995 level production.

Not to mention his horrendous stint in Hamilton, where he went 4-15 as a starter. Clearly he was dealing with inferior personnel with the Ti-Cats, but Quinton Porter was able to post better numbers in less playing time last season.

He also appeared to gain weight and didn't take instruction well after returning from a failed attempt to catch on full-time with the NFL's Kansas City Chiefs, and Hamilton was more than happy to let him out of the final year of his $400,000-a-year contract, which had a club option for 2010 worth $450,000.

It's interesting that the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, a team with a worse quarterbacking situation than the Lions, would pass on Printers to sign another fleet afoot, strong-armed quarterback who has trouble reading defenses in Michael Bishop without even bringing Casey in to work out.

While this could speak to the incompetence of Winnipeg's rookie head coach Mike Kelly more than anything else, it also suggests that Printers isn't nearly as well-regarded as he once was.

In order to get back into the league - any league - Printers is going to have to sign a contract for much less than he thinks he's worth (likely on someone's practice roster) and earn a starting job rather than expect one to be handed to him.

He's not 23 anymore, bad reads, overthrows and other brain cramps can't be tied to inexperience. I'd rather see the Lions see what they have in Lulay before giving a roster spot to Printers and at this point, it's doubtful he'd take a practice roster assignment.

A couple other small items were in the news this week. First, the Lions signed one of their 2008 draft picks, safety Mike McEachern. McEachern was a starter at Western Illinois and his father Ken played 11 seasons in the CFL. Mike will begin his career on the practice squad.

Speaking of practice, the Lions extended their lease with the city of Surrey until 2014 to operate their training facility on 135 Street in Whalley. The lease includes an option for two more years. The Lions have been operating out of the Gateway facility since 1990.

On Wednesday, the team released running back Tyler Ebell, who was signed as a free agent after Ian Smart went down with an injury in week one. With Smart returning last week, Ebell found himself on the outs, as he was keeping the seat warm for Smart as a kick returner.

But with Smart out for another three weeks according to recent reports, receiver Ryan Grice-Mullen, who has had difficulty holding on to the football since joining the Lions at the end of 2008, will be handling returns.

Ebell may have difficulty finding work with most CFL teams currently set in the backfield, but it's possible that Calgary or Hamilton could send him an offer in an effort to gain some depth.

The Lions take on Hamilton this Thursday at 4:30. As usual, the television carrier will be TSN with a simulcast on TEAM 1040. Check BCLocalNews.com for a full recap after the game and be sure to follow us on twitter @BCLNSports for real-time play-by-play of the game.