- Total Trades: 5
- Average Grade: C+ (78)
This page lists all the 2025 Trades for the New Orleans Saints. I’ve listed all of the NFL Free Agent Signing Grades here, which included the trades. Because I’ve begun posting polls for the trades, I thought it would make sense to list just the NFL trades here, so archiving the voting would be easier.
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November 2025 – Trades
Chargers acquire G Trevor Penning from Saints for 2027 sixth-round pick
You don’t often see starting offensive linemen traded during the middle of the season, given that a traded lineman will disrupt chemistry with the rest of the front. But given that the Saints had a fire sale of sorts, it makes sense that they would move their starting left guard, even if it was for a sixth-round pick in the future.
Penning has been a colossal bust as a former first-round pick. He’s had to move from tackle and guard, and he hasn’t performed very well at the latter position. I imagine that with Joe Alt sidelined, the Chargers see Penning as a potential solution at left tackle, but they are going to be very disappointed.
Still, I understand the Chargers’ desperation. Their season is going up in flames due to their offensive line situation, so they had to make a move.
Grade for Chargers – B-
Grade for Saints – B+
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Seahawks acquire WR Rashid Shaheed from Saints for fourth-, fifth-round picks
It’s crazy to think Seattle’s offense is going to be better than what we saw on Sunday night. The Seahawks scored on every first-half possession against the Redskins, as Sam Darnold went 17-of-17 to begin the game. Now, the Seahawks will get a big injection of talent at receiver in the wake of this trade.
Shaheed is an explosive receiver who can make plays downfield and be used in other facets. He’ll fit right into Seattle’s offense because he’ll be reunited with his former coordinator, Klint Kubiak. Sometimes, receivers struggle to adapt to a new system and team, but that won’t be the case in this instance. This is an amazing trade for the Seahawks.
As for the Saints, they’re a rebuilding team, so I would have rather seen them keep a young receiver with tons of upside. However, Shaheed was in his contract year, and there was no guarantee he’d remain with the Saints. Thus, I can understand why the Saints would pull the trigger and receive two draft selections.
Grade for Seahawks – A+
Grade for Saints – A
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September 2025 – Trades
Saints acquire WR Ja'Lynn Polk from Patriots for late-round pick swap
An important thing in life is to identify sunk costs and get rid of them. The Patriots have designated Ja’Lynn Polk as such. Polk was a second-round pick from the 2024 NFL Draft, yet the Patriots are already abandoning him, dealing him to the Saints for a late-round pick swap. New England will get a 2027 sixth-round pick, while the Saints will obtain a 2028 seventh-round choice.
This seems to be a fine trade for the Patriots. Polk has shown them absolutely nothing and is out for the 2025 season with a shoulder injury. Moving up a round late on Day 3 will probably be irrelevant, but at least it’s something.
Though Polk probably won’t give the Saints anything, I like this trade for them. New Orleans is completely devoid of talent in most places and needs some help at receiver because Chris Olave’s career is in danger because of all of his concussions. It’s possible, though unlikely, that Kellen Moore will develop Polk into something, and it’s not like the Saints are really spending anything.
Grade for Saints – B+
Grade for Patriots – B
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August 2025 – Trades
Saints acquire WR DeVaughn Vele from Broncos for 2026 4th-round pick, 2027 7th-round pick
If you were to ask me what the Saints surrendered in a trade for DeVaughn Vele, Denver’s former No. 5 receiver, I would have guessed a seventh-round pick. And I’d be right, because a seventh-round pick was involved. But that’s not all, because New Orleans also surrendered a fourth-round choice as well.
The Saints should be drug tested for making this trade. Vele is a mediocre-at-best possession receiver who was buried on Denver’s depth chart. New Orleans had depth issues at receiver, but there’s no reason to surrender such a value pick for someone like Vele. I don’t think this is quite worth a Millen because Vele is young and could improve, but this is just an irresponsible trade by New Orleans.
The Broncos easily won this trade. Vele wasn’t even going to play for them this year, yet they obtained a fourth-round pick for him. What a steal.
Update: I was informed by Rmac that even though Vele is in his second year, he’ll turn 28 soon, so I have to downgrade the Saints to a D-.
Grade for Saints – D-
Grade for Broncos – A+
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March 2025 – Trades
Saints acquire DT Davon Godchaux from Patriots for 7th-round pick
Giving up a seventh-round pick is not a huge deal, but I don’t understand why the Saints spent any resources acquiring Davon Godchaux in this trade. Godchaux is a 30-year-old defensive tackle who doesn’t provide any pass rush and struggles against the run. Players like him are a dime a dozen in free agency, so the Saints could have signed someone comparable without surrendering any draft compensation.
The Patriots are the “big” winners of this trade. Big being in quotations because the Patriots scored a seventh-round pick, so this isn’t going to move the needle very much.
Grade for Saints – D
Grade for Patriots – B
Comment on the other free agent signings below.
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