Chris Olave got his money, and the New Orleans Saints made sure their best offensive weapon stays put.
According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, Olave is signing a four-year extension worth up to $132 million, with $90 million in guaranteed money. His agents Drew and Jason Rosenhaus confirmed the deal on Thursday.
This is a big win for Olave, who was heading into the final year of his rookie contract at $15.5 million. He had been publicly optimistic about getting a deal done, but when training camp arrived, he staged a hold-in and skipped drills to make his point. That approach lasted about a week before the Saints blinked.
Good on Olave for pushing. The receiver market has exploded, and if he had waited until free agency next spring, someone was going to hand him even more. Getting $90 million guaranteed now is the smart play.
The Ohio State product has been the most reliable pass catcher in New Orleans since he arrived. He just posted his best statistical season with 100 receptions, 1,163 receiving yards, and nine touchdowns. That is his third 1,000-yard season in four years despite playing with a rotating cast of quarterbacks who ranged from fine to unwatchable.
He has been consistent even when the offense around him has cratered. That is exactly the kind of player you extend before the market forces you to overpay.
The Saints went 6-11 last year, which sounds ugly on paper. But they won four of their last five games and gave people reason to believe the arrow is at least pointing up. If second-year head coach Kellen Moore can build on that finish, keeping Olave locked in becomes even more important.
The bigger question is who is throwing him the ball. The Saints quarterback room has been in flux, and Olave has been asked to win against the best cornerbacks in the league with less-than-ideal accuracy from the pocket. Getting a real answer at that position remains the true swing factor for New Orleans.
Olave rarely benefits from designed touches or wide-open coverage. He wins routes with clean footwork and body control, and he consistently makes tough contested catches. Those skills travel regardless of who is throwing the ball.
The concussion history is worth mentioning. Olave has had multiple documented concussions during his NFL career, and that has been a legitimate concern for anyone projecting his long-term value. The Saints are betting $90 million guaranteed that he stays healthy going forward. That is a real risk on a smaller receiver whose game relies on going over the middle.
For Saints fans, this is the exact kind of foundational move a rebuilding franchise needs to make. You lock down your best young talent, then you build around him. Whatever direction this team takes at quarterback in the next few years, having Olave under contract long-term gives them stability at a position where they have desperately needed it.
Now Olave gets back to work, and the Saints can shift focus to figuring out the rest of the roster.
A longtime sports reporter, Carlos Garcia has written about some of the biggest and most notable athletic events of the last 5 years. He has been credentialed to cover MLS, NBA and MLB games all over the United States. His work has been published on Fox Sports, Bleacher Report, AOL and the Washington Post.
