When the New Orleans Saints traded a pair of draft picks that included a fourth-round selection in next year’s draft for Devaughn Vele in August, the expectation was that their new wide receiver would play more than a mid-round prospect would have, anyway.

But through nine games, that hasn’t gone according to plan.

This season, Vele has played just 152 snaps — a bafflingly low number considering what the Saints sent to acquire him from the Denver Broncos. In fact, of the 36 players taken in the fourth round of this year’s NFL draft, 17 have received the same or more playing time than Vele.

“We obviously have got to get him on the field,” Saints coach Kellen Moore said.

The path to do so was made easier this week.

The Saints’ decision to trade Rashid Shaheed to the Seattle Seahawks

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