The New Orleans Saints, after a 1-5 start to their 2025 season, have been forced to shift their focus prematurely from contention to accumulation. In simpler terms, it appears as if the Saints will become sellers at the trade deadline. For any team, particularly one under a new regime led by Kellen Moore, a start this rough triggers a necessary pivot, While reports emphasize that the Saints are not conducting a full-blown “fire sale”, insiders confirm the front office is open to listening to offers where the value for a veteran player becomes too great to turn down.
Multiple league sources, including reports from Ian Rapoport and respected Saints beat reporter Nick Underhill, indicate that teams have been aggressively calling New Orleans about several players. Among the veterans attracting attention are wide receiver Rasheed Shaheed, pass rusher Carl Granderson, offensive lineman Dillon Radunz, and linebacker Pete Werner. Of the bunch, Shaheed seems the most likely to generate the most return in a trade. His skill set as an electric big-play receiver makes him uniquely valuable to a team that is in contention but lacks a true deep threat.
For the Saints, the rationale for trading Shaheed makes perfect sense when viewing the organization through a long-term lens. They are clearly not one or two players away from contention. New Orleans needs a broad retooling of the entire roster, including an unwinding of the difficult salary cap situation that the franchise has dealt with for the better part of the last half-decade. Shaheed, a player who can command significant draft capital, offers the best opportunity to accelerate this rebuild. The alternative, holding onto him for the remainder of his contract and letting him walk in free agency in hopes of receiving a compensatory pick, is a poor financial and strategic decision. It’s important to point out that the best compensatory pick a team can ever receive is at the very end of the third round, essentially equivalent to the first pick of the fourth round. By contrast, trading Shaheed now could net a premium pick in the second round, or perhaps even a first-rounder. That represents a huge leap in value that no team in a rebuilding phase should pass up.
This need for capital perfectly intersects with the aggressive desire of the Pittsburgh Steelers, making them the most probable trade partner. The Steelers are operating in a state of high desperation. They are in a win now mode fueled by an aging veteran quarterback in Aaron Rodgers and an ownership and fan base fiercely craving postseason success. This desperation is compounded by the current state of the AFC North, where the Ravens, Browns, and Bengals are all struggling. The Steelers, despite their own offensive struggles, see a clear path to a division title and a deep playoff run. This sense of urgency is a signal to the Saints that Pittsburgh is willing to overspend to address their flaws and take advantage of the opportunity. The recent injury to Steelers big-play wide receiver Calvin Austin III only intensifies their need for an immediate replacement, a role that Shaheed’s speed and playmaking ability are perfectly suited to fill.
The trade value projection for Shaheed is high, driven by market demand and the Steelers’ high-stakes competitive window. While it may be optimistic to expect a return as lucrative as the 2018 Amari Cooper trade (a first-round pick), the desperate nature of the Steelers makes it a possibility. A more realistic floor for a Shaheed deal is projected to be a package including a second-round pick and a late-round pick, such as a sixth or fifth-rounder. Given that the Steelers are currently showing a commitment to go “all-in” to maximize their window, the Saints are advised to hold out for maximum value. The New Orleans Saints are expected to make one of the biggest trades of the year in terms of draft capital acquired, and it will be a major victory for Kellen Moore as he seeks to reset and build a foundation for sustained success.
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