The Los Angeles Chargers are making a trade at the NFL trade deadline ahead of their Week 10 matchup with the Pittsburgh Steelers. They are acquiring OL Trevor Penning from the New Orleans Saints, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Deadline deal: Saints are trading OL Trevor Penning to the Chargers, per source.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 4, 2025
The Chargers lost OT Joe Alt for the season in Week 9, after the team previously lost OT Rashawn Slater to a season-ending injury during training camp. Additionally, OT Bobby Hart suffered an injury in Week 9 that could keep him out, leaving the Chargers thin at offensive tackle. Penning has started six games at left guard this season for the Saints and hasn’t played any offensive tackle. He began his career playing left tackle, though, and he was primarily a right tackle last season.
Penning is a former first-round pick out of Northern Iowa. He has struggled after a promising rookie season (albeit in limited snaps). This year, his PFF grade of 50.4 is the lowest of his career, ranking 65th out of 78 qualified guards. At 1-8, the Saints aren’t competing this season, and with Penning due to be a free agent after the team declined his fifth-year option, he’ll find his way to Los Angeles.
We’ll likely get clarity from John Harbaugh this week on whether Penning will suit up on Sunday, and if he does, whether it will be at guard or tackle. Los Angeles has Zion Johnson at left guard, and his job should be safe, but RG Mekhi Becton has also been banged up throughout the year. The team could opt to play Penning on the interior.
Even though Penning has struggled this season, the Chargers are desperate for offensive line help. They’ll hope that Penning can stabilize a unit decimated by injuries. Penning has had a history of injuries, as he missed the start of this season with a toe injury, and he tore a ligament in his foot during his rookie season. But he’s healthy now, and if the team is comfortable with where he’s at, he could potentially play or even start against Pittsburgh.
Currently, Austin Deculus is the starting left tackle and Trey Pipkins is the right tackle, pending Hart’s status. Deculus has been worse than Penning this year, with a 39.6 overall PFF grade. The Chargers could start Penning at left tackle or shift Pipkins over and play Penning on the right side. That’s the position he has played at more recently. But either way, it’s a tough ask to play against Pittsburgh’s front seven. If Penning plays, he’ll be thrown right into the fire against a motivated Steelers team with five sacks and two strip sacks in Week 9.
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