Saints and Sean Payton Reunite for Trade, Adding Massive Receiver
In a move that reunites them with their former coach, the New Orleans Saints have acquired 6-foot-5 wide receiver Devaughn Vele from Sean Payton’s Denver Broncos. The trade brings a much-needed large target to a Saints receiving corps that has been notably undersized.
To secure Vele, the Saints sent a 2026 fourth-round draft pick and a 2027 seventh-round selection to Denver. This deal continues a flurry of recent activity for New Orleans, coming just days after they traded defensive tackle Khalen Saunders to Jacksonville for center Luke Fortner.
The trade has a familiar feel, as Payton has built a pipeline from New Orleans to Denver since becoming the Broncos’ head coach, bringing many former Saints players and staff with him. This time, however, the pipeline flowed back to Louisiana.
Vele, 27, was a productive surprise for the Broncos last season. As a seventh-round rookie, he hauled in 41 catches for 475 yards and three touchdowns. He proved to be a reliable and efficient weapon:
Broncos quarterbacks had a 74.5% completion rate when targeting him.
Eleven of his 12 third-down catches resulted in a first down.
All three of his touchdowns came in the red zone, exactly the area where a big-bodied receiver is most valuable.
For the Saints, this directly addresses a glaring need. Until now, they were one of only two NFL teams without a wide receiver taller than 6-foot-2, a significant departure from the days when Michael Thomas was Drew Brees’s primary big target. Vele now steps into that role, providing a new dimension for the Saints’ passing attack.
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