If being a selling team was not the primary focus for the New Orleans Saints before, a 24-point loss to the Los Angeles Rams should finally switch the mindset of the front office.
This is the time to gauge what is more important: What the player can be for the Saints’ future or the draft capital they would get in return. For one player in particular, this conversation may be happening right now.
The Player in Question: WR Chris Olave
A few weeks ago, it was revealed that the Saints’ top pass catcher, Chris Olave, would be highly sought after by teams around the league. This made sense because some win-now teams have WR issues that Olave would fix. The only question was whether the Saints would be willing to deal Olave in a trade, and according to Dianna Russini of The Athletic, that is not the case. Instead, New Orleans would like to keep their star WR as a pillar of the offense. Now the question is, will this stay true through Tuesday’s NFL Trade Deadline?
Why the Saints Should Trade Olave
Given the Saints’ current performance and the roster’s lack of talent, it is understandable to try to retain one of the team’s bright spots. However, the biggest issue is the contract. Next season, Olave will be playing on his 5th-year rookie option, and an extension would be expected at some point. With Olave’s injury history and occasional inconsistency, the Saints could end up overpaying in a deal, which would be yet another setback for New Orleans.
Regarding draft capital, the Saints have put themselves in a precarious situation, needing young talent on affordable contracts, but they only have five picks going into the 2026 NFL Draft. Their hand is being forced to make moves to add more picks after trading many of them away, and the best way to do that is by trading Olave.
Will New Orleans do it?
Now, here’s the issue. It all comes down to whether the Saints will make this move despite the previously mentioned reports saying otherwise. Being 1-8 and having little draft capital, this trade should happen, but the Saints do not rush into moves. If they either do not receive the asking price they want or honestly believe that the Saints can be winners again in the next couple of years, Olave will stay on the Saints’ roster.