Saints training camp position battles that will be worth watching

Saints Position Battle No. 4: Trevor Penning vs. James Hurst at Left Tackle

Let’s start with a battle that is likely already in flux. As of this moment, James Hurst is the most capable left tackle on the Saints roster.

That will likely change sooner rather than later.

We know what James Hurst brings. He’s a capable veteran who can provide pretty decent protection for the blind sides of the Saints’ quarterbacks.

I’m glad we have Hurst, but the Saints didn’t add an extra first-round draft pick to let Penning sit on the bench. When the contact starts next month, we’ll see how Penning truly pans out. For now, we get to at least see some of his mind-blowing metrics in play.

At 6-7, 325 pounds, and with a 4.89 40-yard dash, Penning measured bigger, heavier, and nearly half a second faster than the typical offensive lineman at this year’s NFL Combine.

James Hurst, as I said, is a great reserve player who can fill multiple positions on the line. I don’t think it will take Penning long for everyone to see that Hurst will likely have a better chance at starting elsewhere on the line.