Saints acquire WR Vele, send picks to Broncos

The New Orleans Saints added to their receiver room ahead of the regular-season opener, acquiring Devaughn Vele in a trade with the Denver Broncos, the teams announced Wednesday.

In return, Denver received a 2026 fourth-round pick and a 2027 seventh-round selection.

The versatile Vele was a seventh-round pick of the Broncos in the 2024 NFL draft out of Utah. The 27-year-old appeared in 13 games (seven starts) and had 41 receptions for 475 yards -- both third on the team among its receivers -- and three touchdowns.

The 6-foot-5 Vele will provide a big target to a New Orleans team that has yet to pick its Week 1 starter at quarterback, with rookie Tyler Shough and Spencer Rattler competing for the job throughout training camp.

Broncos coach Sean Payton had said since training camp began that Denver's decision-makers would face some of the most difficult choices at wide receiver when the roster is cut to 53 players next week. The Broncos have used three draft picks in the last two years on receivers -- Pat Bryant in April and Vele and Troy Franklin in 2024.

Bryant and Franklin are also among the receivers, along with Courtland Sutton, Marvin Mims Jr. and Trent Sherfield Sr., who have consistently worked in front of Vele on the depth chart of late.

When asked about the team's depth at receiver this past week, Payton said: "I like it, there'll be some tough decisions. There's a chance a receiver that might be out here today might be on a 53 (-man roster] somewhere else. So it's a good thing."

Vele, who missed time in the offseason program with a knee injury, has had one catch for 6 yards in the Broncos' two preseason games.

ESPN's Jeff Legwold contributed to this report.