Wide receiver Chris Olave of the Saints will not participate in Week 18 against the Falcons due to a discovered blood clot in his lung, as reported from various sources.
Fortunately, it was identified early “before anything bad happened.” Saints reporter Nick Underhill mentioned that Olave is expected to leave the hospital on Thursday.
The 25-year-old, currently in his fourth season, will be out for about a month but has no prior history of blood clots, according to ESPN.
Despite the Saints using two different quarterbacks this season and standing at just 6-10 before the game, Olave is on pace for his best season yet, with 1,163 receiving yards and nine touchdowns—eclipsing his previous records of 1,123 yards and five touchdowns.
He has formed a solid rapport with rookie quarterback Tyler Schau late in the season, catching 10 passes for 148 yards and two touchdowns in Week 16, and adding eight catches for 119 yards and one touchdown last weekend.
This connection will play an essential role in the Saints’ offense for the upcoming season, as they assess whether Schau, a second-round pick from April’s draft, can become the franchise quarterback they have been searching for since the retirement of Drew Brees.
Additionally, the Saints must address Olave’s contract situation. He is set to play in 2026 under the fifth-year option of his rookie deal, after which he will become a free agent.
Olave mentioned that completing all 17 games this season is among his “main goals” and holds significant importance for him. He’s still one step away from achieving that goal but has managed to revitalize his career, especially after dealing with multiple concussions last season, which made him contemplate early retirement.
“Last year was a tough time,” he shared with reporters after the Saints’ victory over the Jets. “I was only 24 years old and I was thinking about retiring, particularly due to the head injury. I was praying about it, and my close family supported me. I decided to give it another shot, and it turned out to be a great year.”
