Saints trade idea ships out former first-round pick to Patriots for Drake Maye support

Charlie Baduini

Saints trade idea ships out former first-round pick to Patriots for Drake Maye support image

The New Orleans Saints picked up their first win of the season last week, taking down an upstart New York Giants team that had just won their first game of the year the week prior.

Thanks to their defense forcing some vital turnovers, New Orleans now sits at 1-4 on the season with a tilt against the New England Patriots on deck.

After Week 6, though, both teams may be inclined to spark trade conversations, as each franchise has something the other could use.

Saints trade idea ships Chris Olave to the Patriots

In Bleacher Report's 2025 NFL Trade Block Big Board Entering Week 6, Kristopher Knox has Saints wideout Chris Olave listed as the No. 1 trade asset across the NFL, with the Patriots cited as a potential destination.

"If the Saints are looking to cash in veteran talent as part of their rebuild, wideout Chris Olave would likely be their top trade chip. The 25-year-old has two 1,000-yard seasons on his resume and appears to again be healthy after injuries limited him to eight games in 2024," wrote Knox.

"The Ohio State product is also set to play on the fifth-year option in 2026, meaning he's under contract for two more seasons. And, according to Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football, teams believe the Saints will be willing to sell the 25-year-old."

While New Orleans shouldn't be in the business of trading away foundational players, their roster is filled with holes, and with a projected conditional first-round pick as a return for the young receiver, the premier draft capital may be too difficult to pass up.

New England, meanwhile, is on the opposite side of the spectrum. With second-year quarterback Drake Maye coming into his own, the Patriots' front office should be doing everything in its power to supply their former UNC star with as many weapons as possible, as they are now just a game back from the Buffalo Bills in the AFC East.

If the two teams can agree on reasonable compensation for Olave, it would be a massive win-win trade for both sides.

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Charlie Baduini

Charlie Baduini is a freelance NBA writer with The Sporting News. He is a content editor and writer with a wide variety of sports reporting experience in live broadcasting and print media.