Saints Wide Receiver Focusing On Elevating Game To Be Among NFL's Elite

Chris Olave wants to go from being good to elite, and he and the Saints could greatly benefit from that coming true.

Dec 3, 2023; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Saints wide receiver Chris Olave (12) catches a pass against the Detroit Lions during the first half at the Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports / Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

Chris Olave will be a huge part of the Saints offense in 2024, as he looks to top the production from his first and second seasons in New Orleans. Olave has been at OTAs and was put in a red non-contact jersey when the team came together for team drills on Wednesday, but there's no need to be alarmed. Dennis Allen said that he tweaked his shoulder in the weight room a few weeks ago and Olave told reporters and The Insiders on NFL Network that the shoulder isn't a major concern right now, especially with training camp more than a month away.

Olave wants to improve 'really everywhere', and it's ultimately his for the taking, but the goal is going from being good to elite in the league.

"Just going into this offseason knowing that (the Saints) believe in me as the Receiver 1, I'm excited to get to work. But I'm just trying to take that next step forward and try to go from a good player to an elite player. So just trying to be consistent every day and put in the work to be able to be one of the top receivers in the game."

Comparing Saints Greats From Their First Two Seasons

Looking at production from some of the best receivers in franchise history, Olave's stats are fairly comparable to those who came before him. When he came into the picture, he also was New Orleans' first receiver to hit 1,000 yards after a two-year gap from 2020 and 2021.

• Chris Olave: 159 receptions, 257 targets, 2,165 yards, 9 TDs, 105 first downs
• Michael Thomas: 196 receptions, 270 targets, 2,382 yards, 14 TDs, 133 first downs
• Marques Colston: 168 receptions, 258 targets, 2,240 yards, 19 TDs, 115 first downs

Always put these together at the end of the year, but Saints receiving trio leader output led by Chris Olave, Rashid Shaheed and Alvin Kamara. More catches and more yards, plus a better season from Olave. pic.twitter.com/YmxY98siJO

— John Hendrix (@JohnJHendrix) January 9, 2024

MAKING THE LEAP IN YEAR THREE

Third-year production for Thomas saw him finish with 125 catches on 147 targets for 1,405 yards, 9 TDs and 74 first downs. Colston dealt with a broken thumb in 2008, so his production suffered tremendously after appearing in just 11 games. I'd rope players like Eric Martin and Joe Horn in here, but Horn didn't start his career with the Saints and Martin's production wasn't that high in his first two seasons, but they both have a clear spot on the franchise all-time receiving leader list.

The potential is there for Olave, and he's extremely critical of himself. The team believed in his abilities to be the top receiver last season, and he was able to pull out of the slump he went through to deliver in a big way. Some of the catches he made were just special, and the NFL even put together a highlight reel to talk about his hands. Consistency is what he wants to put on full display in 2024.

The new Klint Kubiak offense could help unlock even more production for Olave, as well as several other players on the Saints roster. For some comparison, Justin Jefferson finished out his 2021 with a stellar showing to follow up his rookie campaign under then offensive coordinator Kubiak, leading the Vikings with 108 catches for 1,616 yards on 167 targets and 10 receiving touchdowns. He accounted for 75 first downs and averaged 95.1 yards/game.

Olave has bulked up this offseason and said he loves the concept of the new offense, and it should lead to more explosive plays and yards after catch. Most importantly, a different playbook should help simplify some things and help maximize chemistry with Derek Carr. For him, a contract extension would ultimately be the goal when the time comes, and the Saints have some time to get it done. He''ll technically become a free agent after the 2025 season, but New Orleans also could pick up the fifth-year option to keep the Ohio State star. This year could just make his pockets get a little deeper, but more importantly it could lead to more wins for the Saints to help them get back into the postseason.