Saints Get Projected Return For Possible Chris Olave-Steelers Trade

Trade buzz in the NFL is never a guarantee that something is going to happen, but it's worked out that way several times so far this offseason.

The three wide receiver names that were most consistently being thrown around in trade rumors to begin the offseason were Deebo Samuel of the San Francisco 49ers, D.K. Metcalf of the Seattle Seahawks, and George Pickens of the Pittsburgh Steelers. All three were eventually traded.

Lately, there's been buzz around the New Orleans Saints' Chris Olave. Specifically, the Pittsburgh Steelers have been rumored to have an interest in the fourth-year veteran, though there's been no confirmation that New Orleans has any intentions of selling him off.

If the Saints are playing their cards close to the vest, it's possible they could be holding out for the Steelers' (or any team's) best offer. But what sort of trade value does Olave realistically have?

Andrew Vasquez of Steelers Wire attempted to answer that question on Friday, predicting that a third-round pick would be the most realistic offer New Orleans could get.

"In a physically taxing sport like football, coupled with playing a position where you're more often than not taking punishing hits, the Saints may eventually lower their asking price to a potential trade package in between that of Metcalf’s and Samuel’s," Vasquez wrote.

"One could argue that if the Steelers were to offer a third-round pick and a receiver of their own, New Orleans would be foolish to pass on the offer — but only time will tell if Pittsburgh is anywhere close to the Saints’ asking price."

Pittsburgh acquired Metcalf for second-round and seventh-round picks earlier this year, with the Seattle Seahawks also sending a sixth-rounder to the Steelers. Meanwhile, Samuel was sent to the Washington Commanders for a fifth-round pick.

Olave is 24 and has two years left on his contract now that New Orleans has picked up his fifth-year option. That was another potential indicator that the Saints aren't all that interested in trading him, but one never knows how that calculus might change between now and the Week 10 trade deadline.