For weeks, the New Orleans Saints have been heavily linked with several wide receivers projected to be selected in the top 10 picks of the 2026 NFL Draft. However, that trend appears to have changed after the New York Giants traded defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence to the Cincinnati Bengals for the 10th overall pick — and a recent column by NFL draft insider Tony Pauline suggests that the Saints may choose to pass on a wide receiver in the first round.

"If the New Orleans Saints pass on selecting a receiver with the eighth pick, it will be due to the pending contract extension for Chris Olave," Pauline wrote. "The team exercised the fifth-year option on its star receiver, who is in the final season of his rookie deal. During free agency, the team told agents they did not intend to spend big or position too many assets at the receiver spot, considering the money they would have to spend to keep their 2022 first-round pick. They will likely wait until Day 2 before drafting a receiver."

Addressing defensive needs in Round 1, such as acquiring a defensive end or cornerback, could be more fitting for the team's future, especially considering the depth of wide receivers available on Days 2 and 3 of this draft class. Regarding Olave's contract, it's widely anticipated that both parties will agree to a big extension at some point unless there is a major breakdown in talks. For his part, head coach Kellen Moore has said those talks have been productive. The New Orleans front office has focused on managing the salary cap over the past few offseasons, successfully navigating a salary cap crisis to return to a more balanced financial position. Selecting a mid-round wide receiver instead of a top-tier pass catcher could align better with this strategy.

Because rookie contracts are tied to draft slots, the eighth overall pick will receive a fully-guaranteed $32.9 million deal; that's an average of $8.2 million per year, which would be 39th-highest at wide receiver. Extending Olave as well means having two of the NFL's 40 highest-paid wideouts. Waiting until their second-round pick (No. 42) means paying just $11.9 million over four years, or $2.9 million annually. The Saints also hold No. 73 on Day 2 of the draft. They've been heavily linked to Louisville wide receiver Chris Bell, a former college teammate of Saints quarterback Tyler Shough. Other names that would make sense for New Orleans include Tennessee's Chris Brazzell II, Georgia's Zachariah Branch, Georgia State's Ted Hurst, and Oklahoma's Deion Burks.

This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: 2026 NFL Draft: Saints could pass on WR in Round 1 to pay Chris Olave