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Kris Rhim
LOS ANGELES — The Chargers got help for their injury-plagued offensive line Tuesday by trading a 2027 sixth-round pick to the New Orleans Saints for Trevor Penning, sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
The Saints selected Penning with the 19th pick out of Northern Iowa in the 2022 NFL draft. He was moved to right tackle after the Saints selected Taliese Fuaga in the first round in 2024 and started all 17 games at that position. Fuaga was moved to right tackle this offseason, and the Saints drafted Kelvin Banks Jr. to play left tackle.
That left Penning, 26, with a third straight position change, this time to left guard, where he started six games this season after missing the first three with a toe injury. He is in the final year of his rookie contract.
The offensive line was supposed to be a strong suit for this Chargers team entering 2025, but injuries have made it their weakest spot.
On Monday, the Chargers announced that left tackle Joe Alt needed season-ending right ankle surgery after hurting it in Sunday’s win over the Tennessee Titans.
In training camp, Pro Bowl left tackle Rashawn Slater suffered a season-ending patellar tendon rupture in his left knee. Right guard Mekhi Becton, the team’s top free agent offseason signing, has been in and out of the lineup because of injuries throughout the season and sat out Sunday’s win over the Titans with a knee injury.
Right tackle Bobby Hart also was injured Sunday, leaving the game with a groin and an ankle injury. Coach Jim Harbaugh said he didn’t think Hart would end up on injured reserve.
With Alt and Hart out Sunday, the Chargers played Trey Pipkins III at right tackle and Jamaree Salyer at left.
The Chargers need help just about everywhere on the offensive line, but it seems unlikely Penning will play left guard as Zion Johnson has started every game there this season.
ESPN’s Katherine Terrell contributed to this report.
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