The 2024 season was not a year to remember for wide receiver Chris Olave. In his third year with the New Orleans Saints, Olave played in just eight games, catching 32 passes for 400 yards and one touchdown. Playing 31 games in his first two seasons, 2024 was the least productive year of his career.
The reason the wideout only played in eight games is because he was sidelined for the rest of them after suffering two concussions. The two concussions, that came within four weeks of each other, landed Olave on injured reserve and ended his season. He was able to get back on the field with the team and practice in the final weeks of the season, but he didn’t play.
While situations like Olave’s are always bad, the timing was especially unfortunate, because this offseason is an important one for him and the franchise. Since he was drafted in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft, his fifth-year option can now be picked up. However, it’s not always a guarantee that first-round picks get their fifth-year options picked up.
NFL.com analyst Marc Ross recently went through all 32 selections from the first round of the 2022 Draft, and made his case for why teams should or shouldn’t pick up their fifth-year options. For Olave, Ross argued the Saints picking up his option is an easy yes.
Saints should pick up Chris Olave’s fifth-year option
Ross called the upcoming decision an obvious choice for New Orleans, as Olave quickly established that he’s a No. 1 receiver for the Saints.
"Olave put up more than 1,000 receiving yards in each of his first two seasons, finally giving the Saints a true No. 1 receiver for the first time since before Michael Thomas’ injury problems -- but then multiple concussions sidelined Olave more than half of 2024. When healthy, he has proven to be a dynamic deep threat. With a new coaching staff taking on a restrictive salary-cap situation, picking up Olave’s fifth-year option is the obvious choice for New Orleans."Marc Ross (NFL.com)
Ross is absolutely correct. When on the field, Olave has been really good, and he’s just scratching the surface of what he can be in the league. New Orleans will obviously pick up his fifth-year option, and he’ll work to stay healthy in 2025 so he can continue his ascension as a wide receiver in this league.