Former Ohio State Buckeyes star Chris Olave is probably one of the most underrated wide receivers in football, and that may have something to do with the fact that he has spent the first three years of his NFL career with a largely non-competitive New Orleans Saints squad.
Olave posted back-to-back 1,000-yard campaigns to begin his professional tenure, most recently doing so in 2023 when he hauled in 87 receptions for 1,123 yards and five touchdowns.
However, this past season, a pair of concussions limited Olave to just eight games, and his lack of availability in 2024 has also led to him being constantly mentioned in trade speculation.
The question is, why? Olave still has two years of club control remaining with the Saints, so New Orleans would have no reason to rush and trade him right now. That’s especially considering his value is currently at its lowest due to his health-plagued 2024.
Yes, Olave has sustained five concussions since his Ohio State days, which is pretty scary and does not exactly bode well for the future. But there is no question that when healthy, the 24-year-old is one of the most talented receivers in the NFL.
Let’s just put all of this to bed now: the Saints aren’t moving Olave. It wouldn’t make any sense for them to do so now. New Orleans does have a miserable financial situation, but it should clear up within the next couple of years. That would give the Saints more than enough wiggle room to eventually sign Olave to an extension (for which he is now eligible).
Olave spent four seasons in Columbus, leading the Big Ten in receiving scores twice. He caught 65 passes for 936 yards while reaching the end zone 13 times during his final campaign with the Buckeyes in 2021. He was selected by New Orleans with the 11th overall pick of the 2022 NFL Draft.
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