Pros & Cons to Broncos Trading for Saints WR Chris Olave

The Denver Broncos could have an opportunity to trade for a talented wideout, but at what cost?

Oct 7, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; New Orleans Saints wide receiver Chris Olave (12) catches a pass during the second half against the Kansas City Chiefs at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images / Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

Bo Nix showed a lot of promising signs during his rookie season, but to be truly competitive with the NFL’s best, the Denver Broncos need to add talent at the skill positions, especially at wide receiver. Establishing a mix of savvy veterans to round out a relatively young and inexperienced group would be crucial.

There's one potential opportunity to add a young veteran via the trade market. Multiple rumors and plenty of speculation have sprung up around the Broncos potentially giving up draft picks to trade for New York Jets star wideout Garrett Wilson.

But what about New Orleans Saints wideout Chris Olave? There's a possibility Olave is put on the trading block, but to pry him off the Saints' hands could come at a heavy price, possibly as great as Denver's first-round pick (No. 20 overall).

Would such a trade be worth the Broncos giving up their 2025 first-rounder? Let's examine the pros and cons to decide whether it would make sense because this offense needs to add some speed.

Why it Makes Sense

Acquiring Olave would give the Broncos a legitimate receiver who can consistently move the chains and generate yards after the catch, with the chance for explosive chunk plays. He runs good routes, with success running most types, and when healthy, is a key part of a team’s passing attack. Olave's ball skills are up there with the best in the NFL, and he's surprisingly competitive in contested catch situations given his frame. 

Pro Football Focus' Judah Fortgang has a useful chart illustrating Olave’s elite ability to separate, especially against single-high coverage. 

WR Separation and YPRR vs Single High pic.twitter.com/7lZztx5Hk7

— Jrfortgang (@throwthedamball) December 11, 2024

From a contract perspective, Olave is going into his fourth year, with a window just after the draft to decide about picking up the fifth-year option. Exercising it would allow an extra year of relatively cheap team control, and the team can utilize the fifth year to provide a more friendly contract structure.

Why it Doesn't Make Sense

There are a few aspects to this, notwithstanding the eye-watering acquisition cost. It would be a lot for a player who's yet to notch 90 receptions or 1,200 receiving yards in his NFL career, although it's worth mentioning that he posted back-to-back 1,000-yard campaigns to open his career before injuries derailed his third season. If that is the cost, the Broncos would perhaps be better served trying to prise Wilson from the Jets.  

The next biggest issue is simply health. Olave has had five concussions — four in the NFL and another in college. He had two last season, and his latest shut him down for the season.

These were Grade 1 concussions where he remained conscious, but no traumatic brain injury is ‘mild.’ Given the nature of his play style, frankly, future concussions are likely.

Olave's blocking is mediocre at best, and he has a reputation for quitting on plays. Broncos fans will cast their mind to Jerry Jeudy and how he was jettisoned by Sean Payton for a lack of effort in blocking and seemingly quitting on plays that were not coming to him.

Olave’s rail-thin frame and marginal play strength are also concerns, meaning that he projects best as a slot option or a receiver who is directly protected against press coverage. He's not a true X-receiver who will direct coverage and dominate press coverage or replace Courtland Sutton, but he is can capitalize when he gets open. 

The usage of Jeudy and Marvin Mims Jr. in 2023 shows how the Broncos could accommodate Olave and Mims, but it does not use the receivers optimally, and Payton generally does not use a lot of motion. In Mims and Troy Franklin, the Broncos have a couple of receivers with a similar body archetype who could be dominated by physical defenses. A variety of different receiver builds and skill sets would be better.

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Why Would the Saints Trade Olave?

While it’s important to ask what it means for the Broncos, why would the Saints entertain trading him? The Saints are a team that seems to accept it is in rebuild mode, as evidenced by the trade of Marshon Lattimore.

There’s no Drew Brees to hide roster imperfections, and the Saints need players with team control on cheap rookie contracts. Simply put, Olave is in a different window for the Saints, but meshes better with the Broncos’. 

For New Orleans, getting a hefty return would represent the chance to draft and develop a prospect who may turn into a star on a cheap contract or use pick No. 20 in a package to move up in the draft.

Bottom Line

Trade situations are always difficult to project. Ultimately, if the Broncos were to trade for Olave, it would be because they believe in him as a player — even if the team ended up “overpaying” in terms of contract and draft capital compared to what fans may want to see. 

The Broncos would be on the hook for the draft picks used in the trade, would have to enact his fifth-year option, and would have to get a second contract done, which would cover the duration of Nix’s contract, option, and potential franchise-tag years. Olave would also take reps away from the Broncos' young receivers as they evaluate their roster role, but so would any addition to the room, so this would be a moot point.

The 20th overall pick is not to be trifled with, but fans can overvalue draft picks at times. It can be worth acquiring a player who's to be league-ready and moving into his prime.  

Still, with Broncos GM George Paton finally having more first-round picks to play with, this scenario would be hard to stomach. If acquiring Olave were to cost a couple of second-round picks, this might be a viable scenario, but there are too many unknowns. 

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