Chris Olave has had some incredible moments with the New Orleans Saints. He proved his potential in a huge way during Week 7, even though the Saints fell short against the Chicago Bears. As the losses keep coming, it will be interesting to see how Olave gets handled at this year’s trade deadline by the Saints.
Chris Olave impresses versus Bears even with Saints loss
The wideout, who has certainly heard about the trade rumors around him, dominated on Sunday afternoon for New Orleans. He was easily the most consistent pass catcher for Spencer Rattler, and the young quarterback found him in the end zone twice.
Olave finished the game with five catches for 98 yards and two touchdowns. It was one of the most impactful performances of his NFL career so far, and it came at both a good and bad time for the Saints. With the output, Olave increased his trade value, but he also gave the Saints a glimpse at his upside when he is playing his best football.
New Orleans will have a tough choice to make in the coming weeks. Do they actively and aggressively shop Olave to increase their upcoming draft capital and even possibly add a player at a different position of need? On the flip-side, do they instead keep Olave and look to lock him into a contract that will keep him in New Orleans for the foreseeable future?
If the WR had continued to have inconsistent play before the early November deadline, it would have been easier for the Saints to move him. Not to mention, this sort of performance and increased intrigue around the league could push teams to have to offer more in order for the Saints to accept a deal. They may not want to do that with Olave not under contract after next season.
Hypothetical top offer from AFC foe
If the Saints chose to deal Olave to the AFC, the Pittsburgh Steelers make plenty of sense as a landing spot. They have interest in adding another wide receive before the deadline, so I asked A to Z’s own Rob Gregson about the potential most expensive offer that the Steelers could offer.
“The Steelers just dropped 31 points and saw Pat Freiermuth record arguably the best stat line of his career after being invisible all season. To say they would sell the farm for a WR feels a tad rich, but the team still needs another option on the perimeter, make no bones about it.
The absolute most I could see Pittsburgh giving up in terms of pure draft capital would be a second round pick in 2026. If the Saints wanted a player, say like Alex Highsmith or Calvin Austin III, I would say a day three pick in the 2027 NFL draft attached to the asset.
I think the Steelers want to have their cake and eat it too. That may not be the best for negotiations, but it tends to be how Khan and co. operate.”Β — Rob Gregson, A to Z Sports Pittsburgh
This sort of deal makes a ton of sense for both sides. If the Saints want to get as much as possible for Olave, then this time frame and type of offer is in that sweet spot most likely. I do not see the value of him getting any higher this offseason, without a contract in place. For the Steelers, they’d still have to agree to a new deal with the wideout to keep him in the fold for the long-term.
