The Saints dealt with a boatload of offensive line injuries in 2024, and they have continued into this year.
The team has already lost Nick Saldiveri and Will Clapp to season-ending injuries, and now, Trevor Penning is dealing with turf toe, according to Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football.
Such an injury typically takes four to six weeks to heal, per Underhill, threatening Penning’s status for the Saints’ regular season opening on September 7. After converting from tackle to guard hit offseason, Penning has been competing for the team’s starting LG job. Saldiveri’s injury gave Penning a commanding lead until he went down against the Chargers on Sunday.
The Saints have a few options to replace Penning. Dillon Radunz is listed as the backup left guard, but he took snaps at both tackle spots in the team’s preseason opener. Instead, it was Shane Lemieux and Kyle Hergel who filled the rest of the left guard snaps after Penning left the game. Given that Lemieux started four games for the Saints in 2024, he could be a trusted early-season option to fill in at left guard until Penning comes back.
New Orleans’ next two preseason games will be strong indicators towards their plans at left guard. If Radunz starts the game there, he will likely be the Week 1 starter if Penning isn’t available. If it’s Lemieux with Radunz still at tackle, the Saints may be planning to go with him in the short-term and continue training Radunz as a swing tackle.
Penning, meanwhile, is entering a contract year after failing to live up to his first-round draft billing in his first three seasons. The Saints tried him at left and right tackle, but his tendency to lunge at defenders left him exposed against faster edge rushers. The team believes that his game better translates to the interior where his grip strength and power can really shine.