The New Orleans Saints are running out of runway with Chris Olave.
A week before training camp, the two sides still haven’t reached a contract extension, even though both want a deal. That’s the part that makes this feel more urgent than routine.
Olave is coming off the best season of his career, and he did it without a concussion for the first time. If there was ever a moment to lock him in, this is it.
From Olave’s side, the timing is obvious. He’s negotiating at his peak, healthy and coming off a year that checked the biggest box hanging over him.
On top of that, Drake London just landed a new deal, and that contract gives the Saints and Olave a clear floor to work from. The offseason has already delivered the career year, the health bounce-back, and the comparable contract.
What’s left is the agreement.
The Athletic’s Larry Holder reported there is still "an expectation that this should happen before the start of the 2026 campaign." That sounds like the soft deadline here.
Could the Saints still get it done once the season starts? Sure.
They’ve done extensions in-season before. But once games begin, negotiations tend to slide down the priority list, and the longer this drags on, the more it starts to look like the gap is bigger than either side wants.
If this pushes into next offseason, somebody is going to be unhappy with how long it took. Who that is depends entirely on what Olave does this year.
If he turns in another season like the one he just had, the Saints are going to be paying a premium. That’s the reality of repeating a breakout.
One big year gets your attention; two in a row tell you it’s real. And real costs more.
But if Olave doesn’t build on that season - whether because of injury or performance - the price can slide. Maybe not dramatically, but enough to take some heat out of the market and cool the idea of him negotiating off his ceiling.
There’s also the possibility of Jordyn Tyson entering the picture. If Tyson has a strong rookie season, the Saints could use that as another marker when deciding how far they’re willing to go.
For now, though, all of that is just theory. The cleanest fix is still the simplest one: get the deal done before the season starts.
In Other News...
Saints Camp Battle Could Force A Defensive Line Shakeup
The Saints have spent back-to-back drafts reinforcing the middle of their defensive line, taking Christen Miller in the second round this year after adding Vernon Broughton in the third round last spring. That kind of investment usually means training camp is going to be crowded, and this one figures to be no different with Miller and Broughton joining a group that already includes Bryan Bresee, Davon Godchaux and Nathan Shepherd.
What makes the battle even more interesting is that the numbers may not tell the whole story once Brandon Staley starts sorting through personnel and game plans. New Orleans wants to keep tightening up its run defense and has already shown progress there, but the way the Saints deploy their interior linemen could change enough that the real competition is not for every available job, only for the spots that truly matter. [Read more 🡒]
Spencer Rattler Enters A Preseason That Could Change Everything
Spencer Rattler heads into the preseason with more than a backup job at stake. The Saints are sorting out the quarterback depth chart behind Tyler Shough, and Rattler is in direct competition with Zach Wilson for the No. 2 role. For a player still trying to carve out his place in the league, those snaps matter not just for New Orleans, but for anyone around the NFL looking for a young quarterback with something to prove.
The preseason also gives Rattler a chance to show what he can do in limited work, which is exactly the sort of window teams use to reassess a players standing. New Orleans views him as a valuable piece, so there is no urgency to move him, but the way he performs over the next few weeks could shape how the Saints think about their quarterback room and whether another club starts asking the right questions. [Read more 🡒]
Saints Camp Could Flip Three Key Position Battles Fast
Training camp always has a way of turning the Saints depth chart into a moving target, and this summer could be especially revealing in a few spots. The backup quarterback job, the last receiver seat on the roster and the right side of the offensive line all carry the kind of uncertainty that makes preseason reps matter a little more than usual, especially for players trying to turn offseason opportunity into something real.
Brock Rechsteiner is one name worth watching in that receiver mix, particularly if the Saints staff sees enough to trust him as the roster starts to take shape. Up front, Jeremiah Wright also has a path to force his way into the conversation at right guard if he develops quickly enough, which would be a notable swing for a team still sorting out how its best 53 might come together. [Read more 🡒]