The New Orleans Saints have made a surprising trade.
The Saints traded a 2026 fourth-round draft pick and a 2027 seventh-round draft pick to the Denver Broncos in exchange for wide receiver Devaughn Vele.
New Orleans Saints Executive Vice President/General Manager Mickey Loomis announced the official trade on Wednesday night.
The Denver Broncos selected the 6-foot-5, 210-pound Vele in the seventh round of the 2024 NFL Draft out of Utah. He appeared in 13 regular-season games (7 starts) while recording 41 receptions for 475 yards and three receiving touchdowns.
The 27-year-old Vele appeared in 47 games with 28 starts in his five seasons with the Utah Utes (2019-23). He recorded 123 catches for 1,689 yards (13.7 avg.) with nine touchdowns and returned 27 punts for 273 yards (10.1 avg.).
During the 2023 season, he played in ten games with nine starts, recording a team-high 43 receptions for 593 yards (13.8 avg.) with three touchdowns. In 2022, he was named Pac-12 All-Conference honorable mention after appearing in 14 games with 12 starts, finishing second on the team in receptions (55) and receiving yards (695) with five touchdowns.
Vele served a two-year mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. After that, he walked on to Utah before earning a scholarship.
The Saints will wrap up the preseason on Saturday against their old coach Sean Payton, and the Broncos. Kickoff is set for noon.