The trade deadline has officially passed, but the New Orleans Saints and Los Angeles Chargers were able to beat the buzzer. The Chargers are suffering badly on the offensive line without OT Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt out for the season. With problems at tackle in Los Angeles, New Orleans had an answer.
Chargers Land Offensive Line Help
The Chargers needed help and got it by acquiring OT Trevor Penning from the Saints.
The Saints were expected to be sellers at the deadline and did just that by selling off Penning right before the deadline.
Deadline deal: Saints are trading OL Trevor Penning to the Chargers, per source.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 4, 2025
The Chargers are in trouble at the tackle position as they look to make a deep playoff run. The Chargers rank 28th in Team OLi with a 64.2 grade. Penning has a 72 Player OLi grade this season, which ranks 114th overall among all linemen and 40th at his position. It isn’t anything special, but adding a veteran like Penning will be of good use especially at the low cost of a 2027 sixth-round pick.
Trade comp: Saints traded OL Trevor Penning to the Chargers for a 2027 sixth-round pick. https://t.co/2bzaHgzzaI pic.twitter.com/nLFlfNr6gj
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 4, 2025
Penning is still in the last year of his rookie deal and had a fifth-year option. The Saints did not pick up his option, and he will become a free agent following the 2025 season. His deal is worth $14,143,316 and isn’t costing the Chargers very much at all. He will likely be the starting left tackle in Week 10 for Los Angeles.
The Chargers are sitting pretty right now at 6-3 and just one game behind the Broncos for the AFC West lead. The division could turn into a bloodbath quickly, as the Chiefs are right behind the Chargers at 5-4. With tough games on the horizon for Los Angeles, protecting Justin Herbert’s blindside is pivotal to the Chargers’ postseason hopes.
MORE: 2025 NFL Trade Deadline Tracker
Penning was a first-round pick for New Orleans that didn’t pan out as they had hoped. Now, he gets a fresh start to prove himself. He likely won’t stick around in Los Angeles as Alt and Slater will be ready to return at the beginning of next season. Unless he’s willing to play as a backup, Los Angeles won’t be his home past 2025.
He is going to compete for a championship while looking to prove to other teams why he deserves to be a key starter for another team. The Chargers are going to need him now, and that’s why they moved in for him.
The Saints could do without him, and they made sure to capitalize on the opportunity while it lasted. New Orleans has drafted two tackles for the future already in Kelvin Banks Jr. and Taliese Fuaga, and has no need for Penning. In a lost season, getting any sort of return is valuable for New Orleans as it looks to build for the future.