One thing leads to another in the NFL, and the New Orleans Saints trading wide receiver Rashid Shaheed last week suggested they had plans on extending the other young star in their receiving corps — Chris Olave. The former first-round pick out of Ohio State isn’t due for an extension until after the 2026 season, but he says talks with the Saints have already begun.

“Oh it’s in the works. It’s in the works,” Olave grinned, speaking with Up & Adams host Kay Adams. “I want to be in New Orleans forever. I know it’s a tough time right now but I love it out here. I love the people, I love the culture, I love the fans. And I love the new coaching staff and the front office. So we’re in the works right now and hope it gets done soon. But like I said, I want to be here for my whole career.”

Extending him won’t be cheap. Olave just turned 25 this summer, and with multiple 1,000-yard seasons to his credit (he’s on pace for 82 receptions and 990 yards after the Saints benched Spencer Rattler for Tyler Shough), he’ll have grounds to seek top dollar. NFL power agent Drew Rosenhaus represents him and he’ll use every bit of leverage at his disposal to do right by his client. That suggests he could expect at least $19 million per year in a new deal. Some receivers with similar resumes are earning $30 million or more per year.

There’s a bit of anxiety in extending Olave based off his injury history, too. He suffered a series of concussions after turning pro that cut his 2024 season short, limiting him to just eight games last year, and while he’s been able to stay on the field every week this season there’s still the possibility that he’s one bad hit away from being forced into retirement. At the same time, that’s true of every player in the NFL. The Saints are clearly comfortable signing him to a new deal. The only real question is when it happens.

This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: Chris Olave has update on New Orleans Saints contract extension talks