Saints acquire second-year wide receiver Devaughn Vele from Broncos for a pair of draft picks

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — The Denver Broncos are alleviating some of the crowding in their wide receiver room by sending second-year pro Devaughn Vele to the New Orleans Saints for a pair of draft picks.

The Broncos will get a fourth-round selection in next year's draft and a seventh-rounder in 2027 in exchange for Vele, who caught 41 passes for 475 yards and three touchdowns as a rookie last season.

Vele (6-foot-5 and 210 pounds) was a seventh-round selection by Denver out of Utah in 2024. He caught all eight passes thrown to him in last year's opener and two of his three TDs came against the AFC champion Kansas City Chiefs. He also caught a half-dozen passes for 80 yards against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 12.

Vele joins a receiver corps in New Orleans that also includes Chris Olave, Rashid Shaheed, Brandin Cooks, Mason Tipton, Cedrick Wilson Jr. and Dante Pettis.

Led by Courtland Sutton, the Broncos have a deep wide receiving corps, which coach Sean Payton has said would provide some difficult decisions when it comes to paring the roster to the NFL-mandated 53 players next week.

In addition to Marvin Mims Jr., Trent Sherfield Sr. and Troy Franklin, rookie Pat Bryant has had an outstanding training camp as have undrafted rookies Joaquin Davis, Jerjuan Newton and Courtney Jackson.

The Broncos (2-0) visit the Saints (0-1-1) Saturday in a preseason finale.

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AP Sports Writer Brett Martel in New Orleans contributed.

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