Saints lock up WR Chris Olave with four-year, $132 million extension

New Orleans announced that wide receiver Chris Olave has agreed to a four-year extension that could reach $132 million, with $90 million guaranteed, according to his agents. The team confirmed the deal but did not release the full terms.

Olave, a 2022 first-round pick from Ohio State, had been negotiating with the Saints since the start of the previous season and was set to play on a fifth-year option if a new contract was not reached. The extension keeps him under contract through the 2030 season and represents the largest wide-receiver deal the franchise has made since Michael Thomas’s five-year, $100 million contract in 2019.

Coach Kellen Moore said communication between the coaching staff and the player was essential as the business and football sides of the agreement intersected. "I think the biggest thing is there's the business side and there's the football side obviously… communication is the key," he said after Thursday’s practice.

Olave, who missed the final eight games of the 2024 season after a concussion and later dealt with a blood clot that required blood-thinner medication, said he hoped the contract would be finalized before training camp to avoid disrupting team chemistry. "The contract is a whole different side of the game. It's the business side. I feel like we going to come down to that before training camp," he told reporters at OTAs.

General manager Mickey Loomis praised Olave’s attitude and noted that his health was a factor in the negotiations. "Chris has been as enthusiastic and optimistic as anyone… he's an absolute joy to have on our team," Loomis said.

Olave entered the 2025 season healthy and posted career-best numbers with 100 receptions, 1,163 yards and nine touchdowns in 16 games.