As first-time head coach Kellen Moore starts to design the New Orleans Saints’ offense, he’ll be excited to scheme up plays for the team’s top two receivers. Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed are both about to enter their fourth years in the league, and they quickly established themselves as really good playmakers at the wide receiver position.
Olave, who was a first round pick, has racked up 191 receptions for 2,565 yards and 10 touchdowns in three years. Shaheed, who was undrafted, has 94 receptions for 1,556 yards and 10 touchdowns. He has also proven his value as a run threat and a returner.
The 2024 season was shaping up to be the duo’s most productive year yet, but they both had their seasons cut short due to injuries. Shaheed only played in six games due to a torn meniscus, and Olave only appeared in eight games because of multiple concussions. Without them, the Saints struggled, because the team doesn’t have much depth at wide receiver.
That was known entering the season, and that’s why New Orleans was encouraged to find another quality receiver. That also remains the case, and an objective, for the 2025 offseason. However, building depth isn’t the only reason the Saints need to add more receivers. The team also needs more quality wideouts because the injuries to Olave and Shaheed were more of a trend than an anomaly.
Kevin Patra pointed that out in a recent piece for NFL.com, highlighting how neither young wideout has played a full season yet in their careers.
"When healthy, Olave and Shaheed are a fun combo, possessing speed and route-running ability. However, New Orleans must find secondary options for Kellen Moore's attack to thrive in 2025. Neither Olave nor Shaheed have played a full slate of games in three seasons; the Saints must add insurance and playmaking to the position this offseason. They can't risk going another year with zero 500-yard wide receivers."
Kevin Patra (NFL.com)
Saints must build depth behind Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed
In defense of both guys, their missed games aren’t as egregious as the statement makes it seem. Olave played 15 games as a rookie and 16 in 2023, before only playing eight last year. Shaheed, on the other hand, played 12 in year one, and 15 in year two, then six last year.
However, the point is they’ve missed games each year, and the depth behind them already isn’t that great. So if the Saints want to prevent a season like last year from happening again, they need to find more talented receivers to add to the roster.
