The Buffalo Bills had a quiet day as the NFL’s trade deadline arrived, but one big target could still be within their reach.
New Orleans Saints wide receiver Chris Olave has been identified as a top potential target for the Bills, and the promising young player sparked speculation with a wordless social media post as the deadline approached on Tuesday.
The post kicked up speculation that he could be headed out of New Orleans, with some suggesting Buffalo would be a likely destination.
Chris Olave’s Wordless Message
As Tuesday moved closer to the trade deadline, Olave took to X to share an emoji with a slight frown. Many interpreted the distressed face to suggest that Olave could be on the trade block, or that he was not happy with his team’s direction.
Though the Bills have been very tight-lipped on their trade plans under general manager Brandon Beane, the team has been named as a top landing spot for Olave if the struggling Saints decide to move him.
The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reported earlier in the week that the Bills had been active in looking for another target for quarterback Josh Allen, with Olave’s name at the top of the list.
“The Bills were one of the teams that inquired in recent weeks about Saints WR Chris Olave. New Orleans is still expected to retain its top wideout,” Russini wrote.
The Athletic’s Joe Buscaglia noted last month that it would make sense for the Saints to move Olave at the trade deadline — and for the Bills to land him.
“There are a handful of surefire sellers this season already, and the Saints are one of them,” Buscaglia wrote. “And if the Bills want to put a serious asset in a trade to acquire an impactful, young receiver, Chris Olave should be at or near the top of their list if he’s available.”
Olave is having a productive season despite the Saints’ offensive woes, making 55 receptions for 560 yards and two touchdowns.
Bills Could Use Another Target
Though the Bills found success with their “everybody eats” approach last season, their wide receiving corps has struggled to make consistent contributions this season. Khalil Shakir has emerged as the most productive of the group, but the Bills still lack a true No. 1 wide receiver since trading Stefon Diggs prior to the 2024 season.
Buscaglia believed that Olave could fill a big need in the team’s receiver group.
“With the inconsistency and injuries to Joshua Palmer and Curtis Samuel, finding an impact Z receiver who can separate, win the ball in the air, run crisp routes and uncover in short, intermediate and deep parts of the field should be the top priority,” Buscaglia wrote.”That pretty much sums up Olave’s skill set, who earns targets at an immensely high rate.”
The Bills could be more motivated to make a deal after taking down the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, a win that moved them to 6-2 and just behind the New England Patriots for the division lead. The Bills are still very much in the race for the No. 1 overall seed in the AFC, and Olave’s addition could help put their offense over the top.
Bills Rumored Trade Target Chris Olave Sparks Speculation With Post