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Saints acquire intriguing WR in trade with Broncos
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- Saints acquire intriguing WR in trade with Broncos
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The post Saints acquire intriguing WR in trade with Broncos appeared first on ClutchPoints .
The New Orleans Saints have bolstered their receiving corps ahead of the 2025 NFL season by acquiring wide receiver Devaughn Vele from the Denver Broncos in a trade that sends a 2026 fourth-round pick and a 2027 seventh-round pick to Denver, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.
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Vele was originally selected in the seventh round (235th overall) of the 2024 NFL Draft by the Broncos out of the University of Utah. The 6-foot-5, 210-pound receiver impressed in his rookie season, appearing in 13 games with seven starts and recording 41 receptions for 475 yards and three touchdowns.
The 27-year-old's catch rate stood at an impressive 74.5 percent, demonstrating his reliability as a target, particularly in the slot. He had standout performances midseason, including a Week 12 game against the Las Vegas Raiders , where he caught six passes for 80 yards on nine targets.
Prior to his NFL career, Vele played five seasons at Utah, appearing in 47 games with 28 starts. Over his collegiate career, he recorded 123 receptions for 1,689 yards (13.7 avg.) with nine touchdowns and returned 27 punts for 273 yards (10.1 avg.).
His most productive season came in 2023, when he tallied 43 receptions for 593 yards and three touchdowns in ten games with nine starts. Vele had also earned Pac-12 All-Conference honorable mention in 2022 after recording 55 receptions for 695 yards and five touchdowns.
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Vele's path to the NFL was unconventional. A Rancho Bernardo High School product, he led his team to its first state championship in 2015 and then spent two years on a mission for the LDS Church before walking on at Utah. He redshirted in 2019 and gradually worked his way into the starting lineup, earning a scholarship and steadily increasing his production through his collegiate career.
In Denver, Vele primarily operated as a slot receiver for quarterback Bo Nix , and head coach Sean Payton's mold of a large, physical, and reliable receiver fit him well. However, with the Broncos' offseason additions, including third-round pick Pat Bryant and the development of young receivers Marvin Mims Jr. and Troy Franklin , Vele found himself on the second-team offense throughout training camp.
The trade allows Denver to turn a 2024 seventh-round pick into future draft capital while giving Vele a clearer path for playing time in New Orleans .
With the Saints, Vele joins a wide receiver room featuring Chris Olave , Rashid Shaheed , Brandin Cooks , Cedrick Wilson Jr. , and Mason Tipton . His size and skills in traffic make him a strong red-zone target for the team's quarterbacks, including Spencer Rattler, Tyler Shough , and Jake Haener , as the Saints prepare to host the Arizona Cardinals in their 2025 season opener on September 7.
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