The New Orleans Saints made a move just before the regular season, pulling in wide receiver Devaughn Vele from the Denver Broncos. The Saints gave up a pair of future draft picks in exchange, sending a fourth-rounder in 2026 and a seventh-rounder in 2027 back to Denver.
Saints land 6’5 WR Devaughn Vele in trade with Broncos
Vele, who entered the league as a seventh-round pick in 2024 out of Utah, played in 13 games for the Broncos last season. He started seven of those contests and finished with 41 receptions for 475 yards and three touchdowns. That production ranked third among Denver’s receivers.
New Orleans adds size to its receiver room
At 6-foot-5, Vele brings a different physical presence to the Saints offense. New Orleans is still sorting out its quarterback situation, with rookie Tyler Shough and Spencer Rattler battling for the starting job. Whoever wins the role will now have a tall red-zone target to work with.
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Denver felt comfortable making the move thanks to its depth at receiver. Courtland Sutton, Marvin Mims Jr., and Troy Franklin are expected to handle most of the workload, while third-round rookie Pat Bryant continues to develop. Broncos offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi had even praised Vele earlier in the day before the deal was announced, noting his ability to line up in different spots and run clean routes.
The trade leaves both teams in different positions heading into Week 1. The Saints add size to a thin receiver group. The Broncos move forward with a crowded depth chart and a couple of extra draft picks for the future.
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