New England Patriots
“That’s one where you could look at and say, ‘That’s a potential building block.'”
The Patriots’ passing offense is already thriving in 2025 behind Drake Maye and a wideout corps featuring Stefon Diggs, Kayshon Boutte, and others.
But, if the 4-2 Patriots really want to seize the opportunity this season in a wide-open AFC field, Eliot Wolf should leave no stone unturned when it comes to upgrading Maye’s arsenal of pass-catchers.
And after showcasing his explosive speed against New England on Sunday, could Saints wideout Chris Olave be a viable target for the Patriots ahead of the NFL’s Nov. 4 trade deadline?
If a rebuilding Saints team ends up fielding offers for the 2025 wideout, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer believes that New England would be one of the teams that comes knocking.
“There is one name on there I think you probably want to keep an eye on,” Breer said on NBC Sports Boston’s Patriots Pregame Live. “This is, you know, injury permitting. It’s Chris Olave.”
When he’s on the field, Olave has the skill set to shred even the stoutest secondaries.
He surpassed 1,000 receiving yards in each of his first two seasons in the NFL, and is on track for 111 catches this year.
Beyond Olave’s production, Mike Vrabel has some connections to the pass-catcher, given their shared alma mater, Ohio State.
Breer noted that Vrabel has a good rapport with Buckeyes wide receiver coach Brian Hartline — who worked with Olave during his tenure in Columbus.
“I can tell you that of all the guys that Brian Hartline’s had there over the course of the last six or seven years — Garrett Wilson, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Marvin Harrison — there’s nobody he loves more than Chris Olave,” Breer said. “So I think that Vrabel will get very good feedback on Olave from Ohio State.”
Even with his upside — especially if paired with a QB like Maye in Foxborough — Olave does have some injury concerns.
Concussions have plagued Olave during his football career, limiting him to just eight games played in 2024.
But, if a wideout of Olave’s caliber is up for grabs in November, Breer believes his ceiling would be worth the risk for a team on the rise like New England.
“That’s one where you could look at and say, ‘That’s a potential building block,’” Breer said. “You have to be comfortable with the concussion thing. And that is definitely a piece of the picture with Olave.
“But that is one name where I could see potentially — if the Saints were willing to part with them, and if the Saints have made the decision we’re not extending him after the year and made him available — I could see the Patriots being interested in him.”
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