Saints' Kellen Moore Addresses Chris Olave's Future Amid Trade Rumors

Trade speculation is all the NFL content machine has to chew on at this time of year, and New Orleans Saints wideout Chris Olave has been a consistent target.

Though the Saints picked up Olave's fifth-year option for 2026, it would still make some sense to trade him if they're ready to start a full rebuild. The 24-year-old has been a 1,000-yard receiver when healthy, but repeated concussions are starting to become a serious concern.

However, the Saints haven't attempted anything resembling a rebuild since the start of the Drew Brees days. And though they went 5-12 last season and lost starting quarterback Derek Carr to retirement, it still doesn't seem as though they're ready to rip off the Band-Aid.

New head coach Kellen Moore recently spoke to the media, and in addressing Olave's future, he hinted that the team's number-one wideout isn't going anywhere anytime soon.

“I wouldn’t worry too much about that,” Moore said during his press conference on Thursday. “We feel really, really good about Chris. He’s had an excellent offseason, he’s had an excellent career so far and he’s going to have an excellent future.”

Olave had exactly 400 receiving yards in eight games last season before his most recent concussion cost him the second half of the year. He's averaged 65.8 yards per game in his career, and that production can't be easily replaced at any point throughout the course of a rebuild.

Plus, the Saints will likely have a rookie starting QB in Tyler Shough, and having Olave as a safety blanket could help ease the 25-year-old's transition to pro ball.

An educated guess is that the Saints won't entertain the notion of Olave trades before the season. But if they quickly fall into last place, they have to at least consider moving on before the Week 10 trade deadline if he's healthy and they can get a strong return.

More NFL: Saints-Giants Suggested Blockbuster Returns Fan Favorite To New Orleans