The Los Angeles Chargers have made a significant move to fortify their offensive line by acquiring Trevor Penning from the New Orleans Saints. In exchange for this versatile offensive lineman, who was a first-round pick in 2022, the Chargers sent a 2027 sixth-round draft pick to the Saints. This trade comes shortly after the Chargers announced that star left tackle Joe Alt suffered a season-ending ankle injury during their Week 9 victory against the Tennessee Titans. The team had previously lost standout tackle Rashawn Slater for the season during the preseason.
Penning was initially drafted to play tackle but struggled to find his place in that position, leading the Saints to utilize him as a left guard this season. With recent first-round picks like Kelvin Banks Jr. and Taliese Fuaga on their roster, New Orleans had the flexibility to part with Penning. Despite his challenges, the Chargers” offensive line is in dire need of reinforcements, making Penning”s acquisition timely.
In Los Angeles, there is no clear starting position for Penning due to the ongoing struggles of the offensive line. The Chargers may opt to keep experienced tackle Trey Pipkins III on the blindside to protect quarterback Justin Herbert while placing Penning at right tackle, a position he played with the Saints during most of the previous season. At 26 years old, Penning has shown some improvement as a guard, an area where the Chargers also need assistance, particularly since right guard Mekhi Becton has had health issues this season. Left guard Zion Johnson, another first-round pick from 2022, has faced similar difficulties in his career.
Regardless of where Penning plays, the Chargers needed to act decisively to provide Herbert with a chance to lead this injury-riddled team into the postseason. Generally, good offensive linemen are hard to come by in trade scenarios, but Penning”s arrival could help patch together an offensive line capable of securing a playoff berth in the final stretch of the season. However, it is important to note that makeshift offensive lines can sometimes falter unexpectedly, as seen in last year”s wild-card loss for the Minnesota Vikings after their own trade for Cam Robinson.
Without Alt, the Chargers” aspirations for a Super Bowl have diminished, but with Herbert at the helm and a talented group of pass catchers, they could still pose a threat in the playoffs if the offensive line holds up in the coming months. This trade also highlights the struggles of Saints General Manager Mickey Loomis in recent drafts, as trading Penning signifies another misstep in a series of underwhelming first-round selections. Nonetheless, the Saints have managed to accumulate more draft picks after previously securing a solid haul earlier in the day.
Using three first-round picks within a four-year period on offensive linemen typically yields positive results, but the Saints have yet to see that success. They might have found promising options in tackles Banks and Fuaga, although Fuaga is currently dealing with an ankle injury. The effectiveness of New Orleans” offensive line remains uncertain without a franchise quarterback. With Spencer Rattler not meeting expectations and it being too early to evaluate second-round rookie Tyler Shough, who made his starting debut in a recent loss against the Rams, the Saints may need to consider trading more of their top players to embark on a true rebuilding process, which has not occurred since Drew Brees” retirement five years ago. The trades made on Tuesday, however, represent small steps toward that goal.
