The New Orleans Saints are undergoing a bit of a rebuild with a new head coach and major changes at quarterback, so not everyone on the current roster is safe heading into the future. There is at least one player that deserves a contract extension, though.
CBS Sports’ Tyler Sullivan recently laid out each team’s top extension candidate and the decision was easy for the Saints: wide receiver Chris Olave. Olave was the No. 11 overall selection in the 2022 NFL draft and has proven that to be a solid place for him to fall since that draft. When he is on the field, he has constantly flashed superstar potential.
It’s fair to say that 2024 was a year to forget, even before he was lost for the season just under half way through. It was a down year across the board, so it also wouldn’t be fair to put all the blame on him. The 24-year-old had 159 catches for 2,165 yards and nine touchdowns over his first two seasons. He had 32 catches for 400 yards and a score in the eight games he appeared in last season.
Now that he is healthy again, it is clear that he is the top option in the offense and he has the chance to earn a lot of money if he has a good year with the young quarterback room in New Orleans. His fifth-year option has already been picked up, but the Saints should be working on a longer-term extension past the 2026 campaign. It’s important to give their young quarterbacks targets that can get open, Olave is that and much more.