Trevor Penning could be key to unlocking Saints offense

The New Orleans Saints will rely on stronger trench play in 2023 and beyond. A hopeful full season from one player in particular should be huge for the Saints.

Games are won and lost in the trenches, and with the New Orleans Saints having what they hope is their next franchise quarterback in Derek Carr and a talented offense, their offensive line holding up is absolutely crucial. There is a lot of uncertainty surrounding the Saints hog mollies up front, but with one player in particular playing what is hopefully his first full season, it may be the key to unlocking the potential of this offense.

There was a lot of excitement when the Saints made Trevor Penning the 19th overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. How could there not be? The Northern low alumni is a mountain of a man at 6-feet-7-inches while tipping the scales at roughly 325 pounds, and has an absolutely nasty attitude on the field to go with the size. It's a total recipe for success.

The problem is, Penning was bitten by the injury bug his rookie year. The Saints placed him on injured reserve on the first of September due to tearing a ligament in his foot, but were also able to activate him on November 26th Penning showed some flashes in the six games he appeared in, and made one start.

Now, the Saints hope to get a full season out of Penning, and if they can, it should help the offense take big strides this year. The offensive line has a lot of questions going forward, but Penning can be one of the answers.

With so many new pieces in the New Orleans Saints offense, it's easy for the semi-return of an offensive lineman to get lost in the shuffle. That said, a full, a productive, season from Trevor Penning could be one of the most significant things to happen for this team, and it's certainly something to get excited about.