The New Orleans Saints are once again in salary cap purgatory, and the folks at Pro Football Focus believe the team could trade offensive tackle Trevor Penning to free up some money. A first-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, Penning entered the league as a high-risk, high-reward prospect with elite measurables but raw fundamentals. Unfortunately, Dennis Allen’s coaching couldn’t get the best out of the veteran, as he hardly saw the field as a rookie and disappointed as a starter in 2023 and 2024.
Now entering the final year of his contract, Trevor Penning carries a $4.5 million cap hit, but the Saints could save $2.6 million if they trade him. While he has yet to reach his ceiling in the NFL, he showed signs of life while filling in for the injured Ryan Ramczyk. He finished the 2024 season with a 59.6 PFF grade, a notable improvement on his 53.6 grade from 2023. Seeing as acquiring him shouldn’t cost more than a late-round pick, a team like the Kansas City Chiefs or New England Patriots could pursue him as a free agent.
Chiefs, Patriots Possible Trade Destinations For Saints Trevor Penning
The Kansas City Chiefs have spent the past few seasons trying to find a proper solution to their left tackle woes. Veteran Donovan Smith couldn’t get the job done in 2023, and 2024 second-round pick Kingsley Saumataia has struggled in limited work. While it’s too early to completely give up on the BYU product, Kansas City must have a Plan B in case the rookie cannot make the Year 2 leap.
Joe Thuney has done a remarkable job playing out of position, but the best version of the 2025 Kansas City Chiefs has the former Patriot at guard. The Chiefs must find a reliable tackle, and Trevor Penning could be the most cost-effective trade option out there. Armed with just $20.2 million in projected cap space, the Chiefs can’t afford to spend big at tackle while retaining key free agents like Trey Smith, Nick Bolton, Marquise Brown, and DeAndre Hopkins. Penning has yet to realize his potential, but perhaps a great coach like Andy Reid could get the most out of the former first-round pick.
Helping Drake Maye
The Patriots have their quarterback of the future in UNC’s Drake Maye and will likely have either Mike Vrabel or Ben Johnson solidifying the head coaching job. Quarterback and head coach are the two biggest parts of any rebuild, but now New England must fix the rest of the roster. With very few exceptions, just about every spot on the roster is up for grabs, as New England has the least talented 53-man roster in football. While New England leads the league in projected cap space, they’ll need every dollar to fix this roster.
The Patriots could use three new tackles next year, as Vederian Lowe and Demontrey Jacobs are not NFL-caliber starters, and third-round pick Caedan Wallace looked abysmal in limited work. Trevor Penning may not be a superstar, but the trade candidate is better than all three of those players. While he’s best as a swing tackle, he could start at either tackle position and help keep Maye upright after a tumultuous rookie season.
Main Photo: Mark J. Rebilas – USA Today Sports
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