When it seemed like the NFL trade deadline had wrapped up, the New Orleans Saints decided to make one more deal at the buzzer. While it may fly under the radar, this decision could prove to be a smart play by the Saints.
Just one minute before the deadline, reports surfaced that the Saints sent starting LG Trevor Penning to the Los Angeles Chargers for a 2027 sixth-round pick.
Breaking Down the Trevor Penning Trade
The trade came as a complete surprise, as Penning’s name was rarely mentioned in any pre-deadline rumors. Now that the deal is complete, it’s time to examine why it occurred in the first place.
Deadline deal: Saints are trading OL Trevor Penning to the Chargers, per source.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 4, 2025
Since being selected in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft, largely been a disappointment for the Saints. The hope was that Penning could become the LT of the future, but instead, he dealt with injuries early and struggled when healthy. After the Saints selected Taliese Fuaga to take over at LT, Penning was shifted to right tackle, where he showed some improvement.
Even so, he failed to secure the RT position, prompting the Saints to draft Kelvin Banks Jr. to take over at LT while Fuaga moved to RT. Penning was nearly out of options, but his last chance was at LG, hoping to recreate the Philadelphia Eagles’ success with moving Mekhi Becton to guard.
However, the experiment didn’t pan out. Penning ranked 40th in PFSN’s Offensive Line Impact metric, signaling that the move to LG didn’t work, and a trade became inevitable.
Where Does This Move Leave the Saints’ OL?
Now that Penning is no longer the starting LG, either veteran Dillon Radunz or rookie UDFA Torricelli Simpkins will come in as the starter. Simpkins is the likely choice due to the Saints’ current record, the coaching staff’s belief in the young player, and the need to evaluate if he can become the starting LG (or RG) of the future.
In the offseason, it would not be surprising to see the Saints move on from RG Cesar Ruiz and potentially have to find replacements at both guard spots.