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By Rowan Fisher-Shotton
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New Orleans Saints wide receiver Chris Olave is coming off the best season of his NFL career.
He hauled in 1,163 receiving yards and nine receiving touchdowns on 100 receptions — all career highs — while appearing in 16 games. For a player who's dealt with injury concerns in recent years, putting up those numbers, with a rookie quarterback no less, was a welcome sight.
It came at the right time, too. Olave is entering the final year of his rookie contract with the Saints, and while the team already exercised his fifth-year option — set to pay him around $15.5 million in 2026 — he's due for a big payday.
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Yet, as training camp gets underway, no deal has gotten done, and according to general manager Mickey Loomis, there are still some details that need ironing out.
"We're having a lot of discussions," Loomis said, via the New Orleans Times-Picayune. "We're just not there yet. We're hopeful ... We want to get it done. Chris and his agents, Jason and Drew Rosenhaus, I know they want to get it done. We all do, but it's got to be right for both parties."
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The Saints used their first-round pick — eighth overall — on another wide receiver, Arizona State's Jordyn Tyson, widely regarded as one of the best receivers in the 2026 NFL Draft. They also have a young, ascending quarterback in Tyler Shough and handed running back Travis Etienne Jr. a four-year, $52 million deal, while agreeing to a restructured contract with Alvin Kamara to keep him in New Orleans as well.
Under head coach Kellen Moore, a former offensive coordinator, this team is committed to building a well-rounded offense, and Olave is a crucial piece of that. When healthy, he's proven he can be a true No. 1 wide receiver in the NFL, and he's still just 26 years old.
It feels like a deal will get done at some point, but as Loomis said, the two sides need to land on a figure that reflects Olave's value without restricting the team.
Olave's current market value sits around $32.3 million annually, according to Spotrac, which would make him among the highest-paid receivers in the league, right alongside players like Justin Jefferson ($35 million), CeeDee Lamb ($34 million), and D.K. Metcalf ($33 million).
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