The Chargers squeaked in a trade just before the league’s deadline past at 4:00 p.m. ET as it’s being reported they’re trading for Saints offensive lineman Trevor Penning. The deal is for a 2027 sixth round pick and teeters on a passed physical. Penning missed the first three weeks of the season with turf toe.
Penning is a former first-round pick out of the University
of Northern Iowa and was originally drafted to play offense tackle. He began as a left tackle for New Orleans but missed 11 games with a torn ligament in his foot. The following year in 2023, Penning started five games and played in all 17 at left tackle. In 2024, he switched sides o the line and started all 17 games at right tackle.
Thus far in 2025, Penning has been playing left guard for the Saints since returning from injury in Week Four. Per Pro Football Focus, Penning is the 65th-ranked guard in the NFL out of 78 qualifying players. He has allowed three sacks and 15 total pressures in those six starts.
Now obviously the Chargers were not in the market for a left guard as Zion Johnson has arguably been the healthiest offensive linemen on the team since being drafted. This move looks like it was made with the intention of Penning returning to either one of the team’s tackle spots. With Joe Alt down and Bobby Hart dealing with a pair of injuries, it looks like it’ll be a group project with Trey Pipkins, Austin Deculus, and Jamaree Salyer to figure out which two players out of the four are the best options at left and right tackle going forward.
