By Ross Jackson
After taking a scary hit against the Carolina Panthers back in Week 9, wide receiver Chris Olave’s season was in jeopardy. It still very well may be. But the Saints are not looking for finality in his situation just yet.
Interim head coach Darren Rizzi said during his Wednesday press conference that the team hasn’t made a final decision on Olave yet.
“All options are on the table there as well,” Rizzi said. “I wouldn’t close the door on (opening his 21-day practice window). I think Chris is in a much better place than he’s been. As I’ve mentioned, he’s having some further meetings. But I don’t want to close the door on that either. I wouldn’t say that his season is completely done. I would say, ‘Well, let’s see what the specialist and the doctors say.’ And let’s make sure all is good there and we’ll discuss that.”
That’s good news for Olave overall. It doesn’t guarantee a return to the field here in 2024. But it shows that there’s been progress in his recovery as he looks to get back to football at some point. For anyone that was thinking the 24-year-old wideout would be considering retirement, his actions suggest quite the opposite.
Olave traveled with the team last weekend for the New York Giants game and has been sitting in on meetings, per Rizzi. Being on Injured Reserve, a player is only allowed to do so much. But it sounds like every bit of what Olave is allowed to do, he is doing.
“He’s trying to get back in the swing of things,” Rizzi said. “So, he’s in meetings now. He’s able to do some of those things that the IR guys are allowed to do. Whatever meetings he’s allowed to go to, all the weight room stuff that he’s allowed to do, the rehab stuff. Kind of following the reserve/injured protocol and he did go on the trip with us to New York.”
While he will certainly not be back this week, the Saints are not going to keep Olave out for any longer than is suggested by the specialists he’s working with. They’re leaving a clear path of return to the field for the receiver, should he be able to and desire to make it back before the end of the 2024 NFL season.
With only four games left, that return is indeed unlikely. But it won’t be for lack of effort or desire by Olave. Either way, getting back out on the field healthy in 2025 is going to be paramount.
