Chris Olave has agreed to a four year extension with the New Orleans Saints worth up to $132 million, including $90 million guaranteed, according to his agents Drew and Jason Rosenhaus. The deal, which averages $33 million per year, puts Olave under contract through 2030 and makes him the sixth highest paid wide receiver in the NFL by average annual value. It also marks the largest contract the Saints have given a wide receiver since Michael Thomas signed a then record deal in 2019.
Why did the negotiations take so long
The extension comes after nearly a year of talks between the athlete and the Saints, who had been discussing a new deal since the start of last season. Olave, the 11th overall pick in the 2022 draft out of Ohio State, had been set to play this season under his fifth year option had a new agreement not been reached. Saints coach Kellen Moore acknowledged that business negotiations and football preparation sometimes overlap, but said keeping everyone aligned around shared goals ultimately made the process work.
The deal also ends a brief hold in from Olave, who had participated in the Saints’ first two training camp practices but limited himself to individual drills and walkthroughs while the contract talks were finalized. With an agreement now in place, He is expected to return to full practice participation.
How has Olave’s health factored into the deal
Saints general manager Mickey Loomis acknowledged that Olave’s injury history was a factor in the negotiations, though he declined to detail exactly how. Olave developed a blood clot late last season and was placed on blood thinners, which limited his practice work earlier in the offseason, though Loomis confirmed before training camp that Olave is now fully cleared.
The receiver has also worked his way back from a more serious health scare in 2024, when he sustained multiple concussions, including one that ended his season after he was taken off the field on a backboard during a game against the Carolina Panthers. The Athlete consulted with outside specialists and briefly considered retirement before deciding to continue his career. He returned to full health for the 2025 season and delivered his best professional year, finishing with 100 receptions for 1,163 yards and nine touchdowns across 16 games.
What Olave brings to the Saints going forward
Across his first four NFL seasons, Olave has posted 291 catches for 3,728 yards and 19 touchdowns, reaching at least 1,000 receiving yards in three of those four years. Loomis has repeatedly praised The Athlete’s attitude throughout his health struggles, describing him as consistently enthusiastic and a positive presence in the locker room regardless of the challenges he has faced.
Olave has also spoken publicly about his loyalty to the organization, crediting the Saints for standing by him through his health setbacks and for trading up to draft him in 2022. With the new extension in place, both sides now have five more years to build on that relationship, with Olave entering the prime of his career as one of the centerpieces of New Orleans’s offense.
