New Orleans Saints tackle Trevor Penning (70) takes part in the Saints organized team activities at the Saints Practice Facility in Metairie, La., Thursday, May 22, 2025. (Photo by Sophia Germer, The Times-Picayune)
STAFF PHOTO BY SOPHIA GERMER
Not only did Trevor Penning expect the news that he was going to move to guard this offseason, he was excited about it.
When New Orleans Saints head coach Kellen Moore and offensive line coach Brendan Nugent called Penning upstairs to inform him that he was switching positions because they thought it was best for him, he recalled replying this way: “I couldn’t agree more.”
Penning, whom the Saints selected 19th overall in the 2022 draft, struggled at left tackle in his first two professional seasons, then enjoyed some modest success after switching to right tackle last season.
But after the Saints drafted tackles each of the last two years, including No. 9 overall pick Kelvin Banks in this year’s draft, Penning has worked primarily at left guard during the team’s Organized Team Activities (OTAs). And while there’s not as much prestige (or money to be made) on the offensive line’s interior, Penning is all for the move because he believes it aligns with who he is as a player.
“The things I do well I think fit better at guard.” Penning said. “Not to say I can’t play tackle, but in the run game — especially at guard — the things I do well really shine.”
Penning’s struggles have mostly come in pass protection, where he was tasked with getting in front of smaller, faster and more athletic players in space. But he excelled as a road grader in the run game, where he could be more aggressive and take his physicality directly to the opponent.
The attacking approach is what Penning is looking forward to most at his new position.
“At guard, you can be more aggressive — obviously not super aggressive, but more aggressive than at tackle,” Penning said. “You can just connect on guys and get on them early, versus tackle where you’ve got a lot of space between you and the edge rusher.
The new Saints coaching staff saw that style play out consistently when assessing Penning’s film, and Moore said he felt guard was a natural transition to take advantage of Penning’s strengths as a player.
“His play style, his physicality is what jumps off the tape,” Moore said. “We want him to play fast, free and confident, because when he plays like that he’s a really, really good player.”
It’s not like this is a revelation. When thinking about it in front of his locker after Thursday’s OTA practice, Penning figured he’d played more guard than tackle in his football career. He played guard in high school, and that was also his first position at the University of Northern Iowa (though he did start 32 games at tackle there compared to just one at guard).
When he was going through the pre-draft process, several teams envisioned him as a guard at the NFL level, which is why he spent some time at the Senior Bowl playing guard.
When he got to New Orleans, he was asked to immediately step in as a successor to Pro Bowler Terron Armstead. Then Penning suffered a turf toe injury that robbed him of most of his rookie season. When he finally got into the lineup, he suffered a Lisfranc injury in Week 18 that knocked him out for much of the ensuing offseason.
He was benched before the halfway mark of his second season, but rebounded in 2024 and actually led the team in offensive snaps played.
Still, the Saints clearly need to see more from him. The team declined to pick up his fifth-year option this offseason, meaning Penning is entering the final year of his rookie contract. He said he’s not worried about any of that — the uncertainty about his future in New Orleans or the lack of a vote of confidence from the team.
“I’m just trying to play my best football, and whatever happens happens,” Penning said.
It helps that Moore and several of his assistants have recent experience guiding someone through this transition. Moore, offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier and run game coordinator T.J. Paganetti were all with Philadelphia last season, where they saw another rough tackle prospect, Mekhi Becton, turn in a promising season as an offensive guard.
So they can see the path, and they see it with Penning.
“Trevor’s physicality, his demeanor, the way he plays, we feel like guard presents him a great opportunity,” Moore said.
Penning still can’t agree more.
“I think it’s a great opportunity,” he said. “... I’m going to be just fine playing there.”