The NFL trade deadline has come and gone and the New Orleans Saints were quite active in it. Right before the deadline officially hit, the Saints agreed to trade offensive lineman Trevor Penning to the Los Angeles Chargers in exchange for a sixth-round pick in the 2027 NFL Draft, per Adam Schefter.
Trade comp: Saints traded OL Trevor Penning to the Chargers for a 2027 sixth-round pick. https://t.co/2bzaHgzzaI pic.twitter.com/nLFlfNr6gj
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 4, 2025
You probably won't find any Saints fans disappointed about this move, as Penning clearly was not working out in the Big Easy. A first-round pick in 2022, the Saints hoped that the Northern Iowa product would be their left tackle of the future but four seasons and three positions later, it was clear he wasn't going to be someone that panned out for them.
The fact that New Orleans got anything in exchange for Penning is a win here, quite frankly. The guy was not good and even though they have to wait until 2027 to spend the pick they got for him, it's better than nothing, right? The question now becomes - Who will start in Penning's absence?
Dillon Radunz and Toricelli Simpkins are the Saints' top replacement options but represent 2 different approaches
Penning was starting at left guard, the third position that the team had tried him at since he joined the NFL in 2022. The backup guards on the roster are currently Dillon Radunz and Torricelli Simpkins so the likeliest next man up here is Radunz. Simpkins, who went undrafted out of South Carolina, is someone the Saints could look to try and develop, however.
If Radunz does indeed get the nod, which is what Saints fans are expecting to be the case, it'd be a second chance for him. Radunz was a second-round pick by the Titans in 2021 but flamed out there and then joined the Saints this offseason for a change of scenery. This is his shot to show that he was deserving of being drafted that high and that the Titans were wrong to give up on him.
The same can be said for Penning as he hopes that his stint in Los Angeles goes better than it did in New Orleans. The Chargers desperately need help with Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater both out for the year so it's now or never for Penning.
We'll have to ultimately see if Radunz or Simpkins become the true replacement for Penning. Expect Radunz to take over initially but maybe there's a chance that Simpkins can work his way into the role if Radunz struggles.