Thursday open thread: Grading the Detroit Lions hire of OC Darrell Bevell

We may only be a couple weeks into the offseason, but the Detroit Lions may have made their most important move of 2019 on Wednesday afternoon. The Lions hiring of Darrell Bevell as their next offensive coordinator could very well ultimately decide the fate of Bob Quinn, Matt Patricia, Matthew Stafford, and the future of this franchise.

With such an important hire and such an unexpected choice, the TAKES were flying Wednesday afternoon. Are the Lions trying to fight the trend of the NFL by picking a coordinator that loves to run the ball? Did the Lions just find themselves a diamond in the rough with a Super Bowl winner and the creator of a consistently great offense in Seattle? But what about that Super Bowl play-call?

So let’s get out our collective report cards and give the Lions some marks on this very important hire.

Today’s Question of the Day is:

What grade do you give the Lions for the Darrell Bevell?

My answer: If you want my longer thoughts on the hire, check out my column from Wednesday. Here’s the shortened version: I’m encouraged by his clear successes running the football, and I don’t buy into the notion that the only way to succeed offensively is to buy in wholly to a pass-first approach.

I’m also happy that Matt Patricia and company went outside of their inner circle to make this hire. This is not only a sign the Lions took this search seriously, but they are expanding their circle, and that’s a good thing.

That being said, there are real concerns that Bevell may have issues adapting and evolving. He butted head with Brett Favre a decade ago, and there are signs his approach was no longer working with Russell Wilson.

Would I have loved to see the Lions take a chance on a younger, Xs and Os genius? Sure, but who’s to say there’s really a guy like that out there?

This was a hire that very much matched what both Patricia and Bob Quinn told us they were looking for. I don’t know if it’s going to work, but I know the hire makes a lot of sense for the direction was headed. Therefore, I give it a solid C+.

Your turn.