Former Ohio State Buckeyes star Chris Olave has found his name floated in trade speculation throughout the NFL offseason, but up until this point, it has largely been regarded as rubbish. But is it possible that the New Orleans Saints wide receiver actually could get dealt?
Following the sudden retirement of Saints quarterback Derek Carr, many are surmising that New Orleans—which selected Louisville quarterback Tyler Shough in the NFL Draft—will start shedding some players for draft capital to roll with a semi-complete rebuild.
Not surprisingly, Olave’s name is at the center of that speculation, as the 24-year-old is eligible for a contract extension, and the cash-strapped Saints may not want to give it to him.
As a result, you are hearing rampant trade conjecture involving Olave, who played in just eight games last season due to a couple of concussions.
That’s what makes things complicated, too. Olave has now suffered five concussions dating back to Ohio State playing days, and based on the fact that he experienced multiple head injuries in 2024, it’s very fair to question his NFL future. In turn, his trade value is surely at an all-time low.
When healthy, Olave is a terrific player. He registered back-to-back 1,000-yard campaigns to begin his professional career in 2022 and 2023, representing a clear No. 1 option in New Orleans.
For that reason, it would largely behoove the Saints to hold onto Olave for now rather than trade him for a skimpy return that simply would not be worth their while.
Olave spent four seasons at Ohio State between 2018 and 2021, leading the Big Ten in receiving touchdowns twice during that span. His best year came during his final campaign with the Buckeyes, when he hauled in 65 receptions for 936 yards and 13 scores.
New Orleans selected Olave with the 11th overall pick of the 2022 NFL Draft.
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