Saints WR Chris Olave addresses offseason trade rumors, summer QB competition

New Orleans Saints wide receiver Chris Olave was the subject of trade rumors both before and after quarterback Derek Carr surprisingly retired in May due to a significant shoulder injury. 

While speaking with reporters on Wednesday, Olave indicated that he never lost sleep regarding his future ahead of New Orleans' mandatory minicamp, which wrapped up on Thursday. 

"It’s all rumors, man," Olave explained, as shared by Brett Martel of the Associated Press. "In the offseason, everybody’s trying to have something for clicks. So, I love it here. I love the front office. I love my coaches. I’m excited to be here, and I want to be here forever." 

Olave is under contract through the 2026 season. Still, the fact that the Saints could be in the middle of a rebuild following Carr's announcement understandably caused some to believe that New Orleans would accept future draft assets in return for the proven wideout. As of Thursday morning, DraftKings Sportsbook had the Saints at +160 odds to notch over 6.5 wins during the upcoming season. 

That said, Olave's value on the market was likely impacted by the fact that the 2022 first-round draft pick played in only eight games last season before he suffered a concussion that kept him out of the lineup through Week 18. According to Martel, Olave dealt with four reported concussions over his first three pro campaigns. 

As for the Saints' search for Carr's replacement, the club is holding a summer competition featuring rookie Tyler Shough, 2024 fifth-round draft choice Spencer Rattler and 2023 fourth-rounder Jake Haener. As of Thursday morning, FanDuel Sportsbook had Shough as a -310 betting favorite to be named New Orleans' Week 1 QB1. Rattler was second on the list at +210 odds, followed by Haener at +4000.

"The young QBs are good," Olave said on Wednesday. "I don’t think they’re going to come in and have hiccups. I feel like they got a good head on their shoulders. They got a good IQ. They’re ready to play NFL ball. So, I’m excited."

The Saints could eventually trade for a quarterback such as Kenny Pickett of the Cleveland Browns, who had first-year New Orleans head coach Kellen Moore as his offensive coordinator when the two were with the Philadelphia Eagles last season. For now, it seems likely that Olave will catch passes thrown by Shough this fall as the Saints look to prove doubters and NFL forecasters wrong.