The New York Giants have been aggressive in adding pieces to offensive coordinator Mike Kafka’s offense this offseason, but that has not deterred fans from clamoring for more. Kyle Pitts has been linked to the G-Men, but there is another first-round NFC South playmaker who is stirring up intrigue.
Fourth-year New Orleans Saints wideout Chris Olave has been at the center of trade discussions all offseason and has been consistently linked to Big Blue in recent weeks. The Ohio State product eclipsed 1,000 receiving yards in each of his first two seasons as a pro and looked to be one of the NFL’s budding stars at receiver.
His elite separation, deep threat ability, and crisp route running seamlessly translated to the pros from Columbus, and it seemed like only more would come for the San Ysidro, California native. However, a concussion-plagued 2024 season limited him to just eight games and a career-low 400 yards, raising concerns about long-term durability.
As the Saints enter a rebuild, general manager Mickey Loomis has reportedly been listening to offers regarding the 24-year-old, and apparently, Joe Schoen has shown interest.
Olave would certainly make for a fearsome addition alongside Malik Nabers, who shattered countless records as a rookie while catching passes from Daniel Jones, Drew Lock, and Tommy DeVito, The possibilities are endless for what the pair could do with Russell Wilson and first-round rookie Jaxson Dart under center.
Nobody would have more fun with Olave alongside Nabers in New York than head coach Brian Daboll, who is facing a critical juncture in his coaching tenure. The combination of Olave’s speed and precision with Nabers’ explosive YAC ability would pose a nightmare for opposing defenses and give Kafka the type of multi-dimensional attack he’s long envisioned with the revamped QB room.
But due to depth among the receiver room in East Rutherford, the acquisition of Olave is also seen by some as perplexing.
Despite a lack of NFL production, Wilson has been vocal in his excitement about Jalin Hyatt’s development (and their burgeoning connection), and Wan'Dale Robinson has shown glimpses of stardom. Meanwhile, Darius Slayton is back with Big Blue on a team-friendly deal, and he should flourish with Jones no longer entrenched at QB1.
While immensely talented, Olave has never played a full 17 games and has had four concussions since being drafted No. 11 overall in 2022. Combine that with the expected draft compensation; likely a second- or third-round pick, and Schoen and Daboll are faced with a difficult decision: balancing risk versus upside.
The addition of Olave could see the development of players like Robinson and Hyatt be stunted, which should make for a risky move for a team whose rebuild is not yet complete. And Big Blue still has the hardest schedule in football, meaning a high Day 2 pick is at risk should Schoen pull the trigger.
But for now, fans remain divided, with some seeing Olave as the missing piece to take the offense to the next level, while others question if the cost and risk outweigh the potential reward.