New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr announced his retirement on Saturday, a move that could indirectly lead to a Chris Olave trade. Even if Carr was healthy, the Saints have a flawed roster that would’ve struggled to compete for a postseason spot. With Carr out of the picture, Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener will battle 26-year-old rookie Tyler Shough for the right to start for one of the least talented teams in football with a rookie head coach. As things currently stand, this team has a considerably higher chance of earning the first-overall pick than making the playoffs.
The Saints went all-in during the final years of the Drew Brees Era but never embraced a proper rebuild when the legendary quarterback called it a career. Carr’s retirement could force a long-overdue rebuild, and that would likely mean a Chris Olave trade. The first-round pick is one of the better players on the roster when healthy, but battled concussions throughout his career and only has two years remaining on his contract. New Orleans would probably be better off with a draft pick, and several teams should be willing to make a low-risk, high-reward investment in a talented player at a premium position.
Saints Could Trade Chris Olave Following Derek Carr’s Retirement
Top Fits
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots have an army of underwhelming options comprising their wide receiver depth chart. Stefon Diggs is a high-risk, high-reward veteran coming off a serious knee injury. Demario Douglas, Kayshon Boutte, and Kendrick Bourne are nothing special, and Ja’Lynn Polk and Javon Baker did absolutely nothing as rookies. Drake Maye looked like the real deal as a rookie, and adding a legitimate weapon like Chris Olave in a trade should help Mike Vrabel’s squad make a real leap in 2025.
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs have a high-risk, high-reward wide receiver room and could use more stability at the position. Xavier Worthy showed promise as a rookie, and Rashee Rice is already the real deal. If both players reach their potential, Patrick Mahomes should have no trouble leading another top-five offense. However, Worthy might not make the Year 2 leap, and Rice is coming off a serious injury. Chris Olave has his own injury history, but the trade target will ensure Mahomes has at least one reliable target on the field throughout the season.
Baltimore Ravens
Chris Olave is a high-risk, high-reward player with a wide range of outcomes. Rashod Bateman, meanwhile, is a safer player who lacks the 1,000-yard upside Olave brings to the table. Player-for-player trades are rare in today’s NFL, but it makes sense in this specific condition. The Ravens need a home run hitter to overcome a loaded AFC, while the Saints need somebody who can stay on the field and support their young quarterbacks.
New York Jets
The New York Jets have a great young receiver in Garrett Wilson and not much else. Justin Fields challenges defenses as a dual-threat quarterback, but he still needs another reliable set of hands to reach his ceiling. The Buffalo Bills reign supreme atop the AFC East, but second place is wide open. New York Jets head coach Aaron Glenn has a history with the New Orleans Saints and should have the connections to pull off a Chris Olave trade.
Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans have their franchise quarterback in Cam Ward. Now, they need to support him. Calvin Ridley is an adequate WR1, but the rest of the depth chart needs some work. Tyler Lockett is well past his prime, Treylon Burks is a bust, and Van Jefferson is nothing special. A Chris Olave trade would give the Titans two legitimate starting wide receivers, which should increase Ward’s odds of becoming the long-awaited franchise quarterback in Nashville.
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