It’s tough to feel much better about the New Orleans Saints’ outlook at right tackle at the end of August than we regarded it back in May, when Trevor Penning started taking his first snaps at right tackle. He’s made some progress. But it may have been too little, too late to make a positive impact when the season starts in September.
Penning is an effective run blocker. He had some great pancake blocks in this game and we’re seeing him throw his weight around with more confidence than earlier in his career. The problem lies in pass protection. He’s significantly more inconsistent in that phase, and there are too many instances where he abandons his technique and gives ground to his opponent. Holding penalties could become a problem for him in a hurry.
Still, he’s made some progress. The question is whether it’s enough. Head coach Dennis Allen reflected on Penning’s summer after their preseason finale with the Tennessee Titans.
“I do think there was a few plays in there I thought was an improvement,” Allen said, acknowledging that he hadn’t had time to check the coach’s tape. It’s not easy to evaluate line play from his vantage point on the sideline.
Still, he did see more incremental progress from Penning in the third preseeason game: “I thought overall, I know this. I thought he played better in last week’s game (than the first preseason game). I thought he improved this week in practice. And I saw some good things tonight, too. I think there’s some improvement being made.”
That’s a positive takeaway, but it’s far from a full-throated endorsement. Penning should be much further along at this point in his career. He has too many athletic gifts and too many quality coaches working with him to where every compliment comes with a disclaimer. It doesn’t feel like the Saints can trust him to start against the Carolina Panthers in two weeks. So what’s the backup plan?
Sure, Olisaemeka Udoh is an option. But Udoh only started taking practice reps on the first-team offense a week ago, and his inexperience at right tackle (about 500 career snaps between the preseason and regular season, with just two starts) doesn’t inspire much confidence. It’s not like he’s spent his entire career at that position. But what alternatives do they have?
We’ve already looked at the options hanging around in free agency. Spot-starters at right tackle like Phil Haynes and Tyre Phillips are still available. So are Billy Turner and Matt Feiler, but they’re both on the wrong side of 30. And would any of them be better fits than Penning or Udoh? Would the Saints be willing to pay what someone like D.J. Humphries may be looking for, and would he even entertain a move to right tackle? What about Donovan Smith? It’s tough to say.
Expect the Saints to actively scour the waiver wire this week, and maybe call other teams about a trade. They could also check in with some of those free agents we just highlighted. Since they’re determined to keep Taliese Fuaga on the left side instead of his college position at right tackle, that’s still a spot that needs to be addressed. Maybe they really are comfortable lining up Penning in Week 1. But it sure would be nice to have a more convincing backup plan before they go skydiving with a parachute that’s failed before.
