According to Robinson, the Lions could need a proven second option to complement top receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown and may find it in Evans.
"Amon-Ra St. Brown remains Detroit's WR1, but rookies Jahmyr Gibbs and Sam LaPorta may profile as the club's next-best options in the passing attack," Robinson wrote.
"With Jameson Williams suspended for the first six games of the season, Josh Reynolds, Marvin Jones Jr., and Kalif Raymond are the Lions' other pass catchers."
Robinson stated that the Lions were not aggressive in the trade market for top-tier wide receivers, remaining largely out of the hunt for DeAndre
Hopkins and striking a deal for former New York Jets WR Denzel Mims before releasing him prior to the final roster cutoff.
Robinson suggested that the Lions make an exception for Evans. "Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson could have been a head coach this offseason if he had wanted to be," he wrote.
"If the Lions want to capitalize on Johnson's excellent work, they could bolster his unit with a dominant force like Evans."
According to ESPN's Jenna Laine, Evans' agent informed the Buccaneers on September 1 that negotiations on a new contract will end on September 9, one day before the team's season opener against the Minnesota Vikings.