Patriots, Commanders viewed as potential trade suitors for WR with two 1,000-yard seasons originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Washington Commanders and New England Patriots don’t have a dire need at the wide receiver position, but that might not stop either team from adding to the position at the trade deadline if the right player becomes available.
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The Commanders have dealt with injuries at wide receiver this season, with Terry McLaurin and Noah Brown both missing multiple games. Brown in particular has been placed on injured reserve, knocking him out for the next four games.
In New England, Stefon Diggs and Kayshon Boutte have been a better-than-expected duo, but Diggs is also 31 years old and his decline could come at any minute and Boutte remains mostly unproven.
Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox has floated New Orleans Saints wide receiver Chris Olave as a trade candidate and believes the Pats and Commanders could be suitors for the two-time 1,000-yard wide receiver.
According to Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football, teams believe the Saints will be willing to sell Olave, who was also mentioned by Schefter on his list of players expected to be available.
Teams in need of a game-breaking receiver should be contacting Saints general manager Mickey Loomis.
Potential Suitors: New England Patriots, Washington Commanders
As Knox points out, Olave has been floated as a trade candidate by multiple reporters, which puts him on the radar of any wide receiver-needy team.
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Olave is supremely talented after posting a pair of 1,000-yard seasons during his career, but he has also been held back by poor quarterback play, so there’s still plenty of upside with the 25-year-old.
The Saints are one of the worst teams in the NFL and desperately need to add draft capital for their rebuild. Olave stands as one of the best assets the Saints have and could garner a Day 2 pick, at worst, in a trade.
In New England, it’s conceivable Olave could become Drake Maye’s No. 1 target, but at worst he would be an elite No. 2 option behind Diggs that would seriously boost Maye’s chances of thriving in 2025.
In Washington, Olave would form arguably the best wide receiver trio in the NFL with McLaurin and Deebo Samuel, which would put Jayden Daniels in an even better position to succeed.
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Olave figures to be costly, but the fact that he has another year on his rookie deal thanks to the fifth year option makes him a multi-year solution, which definitely softens the blow of giving up significant draft capital to acquire him.
