New Orleans Saints receive positive update on Trevor Penning

After a feisty training camp and up and down preseason, rookie first-round pick Trevor Penning tore a ligament in his foot during the New Orleans Saints‘ final preseason game and was placed on IR shortly after.

It was a huge blow to the black and gold, as they hoped that Penning could be a force in their new-look offensive line that no longer includes Terron Armstead. Penning wasn’t set to be an immediate starter — that job was going to veteran James Hurst — but Penning was still a critical piece of the Saints’ future.

While the injury certainly isn’t good, Ian Rapoport (and later Mike Triplett) tweeted that New Orleans received good news on the rookie’s injury. Rapoport noted that Penning won’t miss all of the 2022 campaign and could be ready by early November. Triplett said that Dennis Allen has hope that Penning will indeed play this year.

New Orleans Saints dodge major bullet with Trevor Penning injury update

Penning might not be a starter this year but last year proved just how easily an entire o-line can get banged up so having the rookie around would have been nice. He, of course, made headlines when he was kicked out of practice but appeared to have “gotten his act together” after that. He had some up-and-down moments in preseason but then again, what rookie offensive lineman doesn’t?

It’ll suck not having Penning available for the first few weeks of the season but as Rapoport noted, the rookie can still practice and will be a key piece for later on. For now, though, Hurst has to carry the load at left tackle, which is something the veteran is more than capable of doing.

This news could have been much worse so Saints fans should be thankful that Penning might at least be healthy enough to suit up midway through the season.