Saints' Chris Olave Projected Trade Return Should Put Rumors To Bed

The Saints shouldn't even consider trading Chris Olave this season...

Sep 14, 2025; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Saints wide receiver Chris Olave (12) reacts to dropping a pass in the end zone against the San Francisco 49ers during the first half at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images | Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

The New Orleans Saints will likely be in sell mode at Tuesday's NFL trade deadline. They have a few big pieces they could move at the deadline, including wide receiver Chris Olave.

Olave is the most intriguing trade chip on the roster because he's the most valuable. He has a lot of talent and an additional year left on his contract. The Saints might not be eager to trade him as they reportedly work on a contract extension, but if the right offers comes to the table, it would be hard to say no.

FanSided's Wynston Wilcox recently projected that Olave would net the Saints a third-round pick in a deal this season, but that's a big step down from their reported asking price.

Saints projected to land third-round pick in Chris Olave trade

Oct 26, 2025; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA: New Orleans Saints wide receiver Chris Olave (12) is tackled by Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Jamel Dean (35) during the fourth quarter at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images | Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

"The New Orleans Saints have to realize that holding onto Chris Olave does no good for them right now," Wilcox wrote. "Sure, they have a receiver they can build around, but there’s no telling how long this rebuild in the Big Easy is going to take, so parting ways with Olave now will yield the best return. That doesn’t mean, however, the Saints should oversell. 

"Depending on how you evaluate Olave, in 2025, the best the Saints will get for him is maybe a second round pick, which the Steelers gave up for Metcalf. Deebo Samuel yielded a fifth-round pick, and if we go back even further, it cost the Arizona Cardinals a first round pick for Hollywood Brown and then the Philadelphia Eagles a first-round pick for A.J. Brown. The Hollywood Brown trade is the Saints’ best comparison for asking a high price, but Brown’s underwhelming stint out West also shows why no wide receiver has fetched a first-round pick since 2022."

The Saints are unlikely to trade Olave as they work on a contract extension, but there's almost no chance they consider trading him for a third-round pick.

Olave is worth a second-round pick at the very least, considering his contract has an additional year and he's eager to sign his big extension.

The trade rumors should be put to bed ahead of the trade deadline, especially if this projection is his market value around the league.

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