It might be time for the 1-6 New Orleans Saints to start focusing on the future, and teams around the league are reportedly paying attention to two of their wide receivers ahead of the Nov. 4 trade deadline as a result.
NFL insider Jordan Schultz reported Thursday that Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed “are being monitored” by teams that need wide receiver help down the stretch of the season.
Shaheed is scheduled for unrestricted free agency after the season, while Olave has a $15.5 million 2026 club option on his contract.
There is a realistic chance neither pass-catcher will be with the Saints for the long-term future, so moving one or both could help the NFC South team get some draft assets back in return that could accelerate a rebuild.
And that opens the door for contenders to add some game-breaking wide receivers ahead of the deadline.
Olave entered the league as a first-round pick in the 2022 NFL draft and posted back-to-back seasons with more than 1,000 receiving yards to start his career. Injuries limited him to just eight games in his third season in 2024, but he has appeared in all seven games in 2025.
The Ohio State product has 44 catches for 440 yards and three touchdowns and could be well on his way to another season with more than 1,000 yards even for a Saints team that is struggling.
He’s coming off a two-touchdown performance in his last game against the Chicago Bears.
As for Shaheed, any team trading for him would be getting a deep threat in the aerial attack and someone who can return punts. He was a Pro Bowler in 2023 in part because of his ability to contribute on special teams.
He has 30 catches for 356 yards and two touchdowns this season and has a long reception of 87 yards. He also posted an impressive 17.5 yards per catch during the 2024 campaign.
The Saints face two realistic playoff contenders in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Los Angeles Rams before the trade deadline, so it would be anything but surprising if their struggles continue. And if they do, they may be even more likely to trade one or both of their impact wide receivers.
