Trevor Penning leaning into technical aspects of playing offensive tackle with New Orleans Saints
 

It's all in the details for Trevor Penning.
The New Orleans Saints' rookie tackle, the No. 19 overall pick in the draft, entered the NFL with ferocity in excess. The big man (listed at 6 feet 7, 320 pounds) was an imposer of his will at Northern Iowa, whose physical advantages were vast and noticeable in just about every way.

https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/p...qs1grakugx.jpg

But as a Saint during OTAs, he has learned that it might require a different route to reach that imposition than was needed when he became one of the most dominant offensive linemen in college football.
"Mainly footwork," Penning said. "(In) college, we didn't spend a ton of time with it. It was more kind of basic. Now, we're kind of getting really detailed about it, just really working on that.
"Using your feet – that's kind of your base of how everything else happens. So with your punch, it comes from the power of your feet and your hips. So getting them planted, getting the perfect set angle, that's kind of what I've been working on."

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Re: Trevor Penning leaning into technical aspects of playing offensive tackle with New Orleans Saints
 

I think we got a real good LT. He puts in the work and asks questions because he wants to learn. I like what I've seen from him. I'm looking forward to seeing him in action while wearing pads.

Re: Trevor Penning leaning into technical aspects of playing offensive tackle with New Orleans Saints
 

Fingers crossed. If he develops into a solid, dependable LT this season will be fine with me. I expect a few growing pains along the way.

Re: Trevor Penning leaning into technical aspects of playing offensive tackle with New Orleans Saints
 

I understand that he's picking things up quickly and asks lots of questions, which is great because he's supposed to have a high football IQ. They say you can see him putting his new coaches info to good use while learning and applying new techniques at practice and in the class room.

Re: Trevor Penning leaning into technical aspects of playing offensive tackle with New Orleans Saints
 

Man, I'm excited about his young man. He's a much better draft pick in the first round than Peat or Ruiz. It looks like we missed on those picks. They may develop into good players but they already should have.

Re: Trevor Penning leaning into technical aspects of playing offensive tackle with New Orleans Saints
 

Bump …

It’s probably time to start talking about Trevor and the LT position again.

He was manhandled on yesterday. Looked pretty bad.

It appears the benching may have back fired.

Time to start looking at Doug Marrone & coaching.

Re: Trevor Penning leaning into technical aspects of playing offensive tackle with New Orleans Saints
 

He's not a dumb jock. Just needs more playing time. and proper coaching. Do we miss Strief yet? Evans does not appear to be able to take his place. Shall we ask Willie Roaf to come in? Would he even? Why was Marrone available to begin with? It seems our strengths of yesterday are no longer. You know what needs to be done, Loomie and Mrs Benson. Our one year and six games so far is enough of a sample size, especially this year with presumably the easiest schedule in NFL.

Re: Trevor Penning leaning into technical aspects of playing offensive tackle with New Orleans Saints
 

Maybe he isn’t cut out for LT? Move him inside and let him be a mauler perhaps? It’s time to ELEVATE Cam Irving.

Saints need to bring in more guys TODAY - there is nothing behind Ramz at RT either.

Re: Trevor Penning leaning into technical aspects of playing offensive tackle with New Orleans Saints
 

Panties retread? Guess he's better than nothing.

Re: Trevor Penning leaning into technical aspects of playing offensive tackle with New Orleans Saints
 

A fan called in on the WWL broadcast and mentioned that they were in attendance & saw Trevor trip a player more than once in the game. Is your footwork and hand placement that poor?

Trevor may not be ready for LT responsibilites. You don't want to put your QB in even more dangerous territory.

Serious concerns on that Oline.

Re: Trevor Penning leaning into technical aspects of playing offensive tackle with New Orleans Saints
 

Here's the thing with Marrone... he's a proven OL coach and supposedly a very good one at that. There's more layers here.

This is probably one of them. Our scheme or lack thereof, plays a part in it as well. This isn't to shift blame away from Marrone. He's our OL coach so at the end of the day, he's failing too. Just wanted to point out that there's other factors in play.

Re: Trevor Penning leaning into technical aspects of playing offensive tackle with New Orleans Saints
 

Being an oline coach is not like you get your union card and then you are just good at it forever. The only thing that can really make someone proven is what have you done for me lately. Trends and schemes change, attention to detail sometimes fades, age plays a role, energy levels change. Marrone got head coaching gigs and failed. Its possible his confidence is gone. He doesn't have great talent to work with but practically everyone's PFF scores are down this year so its hard to say he is making anyone better. I don't think you can say he was good 10-15 years ago so he can't be the problem now. And in the end, the problem could be that most of our coaching staff was good 10-15 years ago and now they are all living in the past, putting their dentures in and playing the greatest hits out of tune.

Maybe Penning is a bust or maybe he will improve. It's possible that harming his gentle delicate confidence is not what made him play bad, maybe we benched him because we could not afford to keep giving him help and we needed our RB and TE to actually be able to run routes and we wanted to try to unleash Kamara and Hill. So if we benched him because the game plan didnt allow us to give him constant help, and we thought he needed constant help, and when he had to go in because of injury we decided to let him sink or swim not change the game plan, then his performance is not a regression at all its just the reality of who he is at this time. Besides, a 1st round OT has no business being babied to build up his confidence. If being benched does not light a fire under his ass, lets trade him to the Falcons for a 7th and get some sacks on Ridder. At this point Penning is not earning a secure starting job but will definitely get chances to play due to injuries, so its up to him to make the most of those chances, and the entire team will suffer if we set the example of babying one player.

Re: Trevor Penning leaning into technical aspects of playing offensive tackle with New Orleans Saints
 

Penning looks like a typical bully. He pushed around smaller players in college. Now he's getting bullied by players who have an attitude that they impose on him. Not a good look for the "Mauler".

Re: Trevor Penning leaning into technical aspects of playing offensive tackle with New Orleans Saints
 

Listened at a recent interview with Loomis in regards to Penning ...

I'm paraphrasing here but Mickey is saying he needs help with his confidence, being put in the right position & right development to succeed. He also stated "it wasn't his fault he was hurt".

Anytime a player is selected in round 1, my expectations is that they become a QUALITY Day 1 (see Olave) starter. Anything above and beyond is lagniappe.

I don't even recall seeing him come in on jumbo (heavy) sets.

Either Dougie Marrone has failed him or Trevor is approaching bust material. This will be year 3 for TP.

Re: Trevor Penning leaning into technical aspects of playing offensive tackle with New Orleans Saints
 

I heard it too. Mickey needs to give up the ghost because Penning is a bust and some of that is definitely on our staff.


Thinking we'll get something out of Penning after all this time is like me putting a McDonald's burger in the fridge for a week and thinking the microwaved version is going to be great.

Re: Trevor Penning leaning into technical aspects of playing offensive tackle with New Orleans Saints
 

McDonald's Burger being great would be a miracle in itself! Good one!

He was a project from Day One. I think Loomis & Co. fell in love with the tape of him manhandling D Linemen in his conference. He wasn't palying with the Big Boys in the Power Conferences and it showed. I honestly was holding out hope for him to be something special, but his footwork is atrocious and he will continue to get beat out their on Blind Side Island. Move along. Penning is NOT the answer.

Re: Trevor Penning leaning into technical aspects of playing offensive tackle with New Orleans Saints
 

He is is that freak kid you see in youth sports. Developed earlier and was stronger,faster than any kid around him. Then got put in with others who are as big and string but they also learned the fundamentals amd dint rely on physicals to get by

Stop jumping players up boards from pro days,combine etc. Who care what they can do in shorts. So what he's 0.1 seconds faster, that can easily be made up by reading the game better or lost because you can't do that in pads. Once your board is set at tbe end of the college season it should t change much bar injuries,or red flags in interviews etc

Re: Trevor Penning leaning into technical aspects of playing offensive tackle with New Orleans Saints
 

When we select linemen, we need to stop looking at raw abilities and idiosyncrasies that catch our eye. Scout the players that have the best technique. The best left tackle in franchise history, William Roaf, is still the model. Don't overthink it.

Re: Trevor Penning leaning into technical aspects of playing offensive tackle with New Orleans Saints
 

I hear Loomis is massaging a special snake oil on his ass that will make him a star.

Seriously at this point he is a longshot reclamation project like Kevin White. Keep him for training camp, make him fight for a backup spot, dont count on him for anything. He was named after what nobody should do with hopes on him.

Re: Trevor Penning leaning into technical aspects of playing offensive tackle with New Orleans Saints
 

Surprised there's been not much said about trying him inside to replace Peat.

Oh for the days of Nicks and Evans inside

Re: Trevor Penning leaning into technical aspects of playing offensive tackle with New Orleans Saints
 

Playing football in the NFL for all of these guys who are superior athletes is about want to. How bad do they want it? How much are they willing to work at it? In the NFL everybody is strong. Everybody has talent. You just have to want it at least as much as the next guy. For offensive linemen, I had rather have a mean SOB with less physical attributes who wants it than someone who hits all the measurables. I don't think Penning has the want to.

Re: Trevor Penning leaning into technical aspects of playing offensive tackle with New Orleans Saints
 

A guy like Hurst for example. Doesn't have the physical attributes of Penning. But, he's started a ton of games at different positions for the Saints and has played well. Why? He wants it.

Re: Trevor Penning leaning into technical aspects of playing offensive tackle with New Orleans Saints
 

Hurst strikes me as a very cerebral player.

Penning strikes me as a small school boy wonder who just encountered professional grown as$ men.

Re: Trevor Penning leaning into technical aspects of playing offensive tackle with New Orleans Saints
 

I'd like to see a former player and/or analyst breakdown Trevor's complete body of work thus far.

From my untrained eye, the man is just slow to move his feet & resorts to tripping defenders, subsequent flag. Why not try to move him inside (G)?

To be a former 1st rounder, you simply expect him to be better at this stage of his career. Just look at Bears rookie tackle Darnell Wright ... he's had solid showings against very good pass rushers (Crosby, Hunter, Chris Jones etc).

Loomis can't keep holding on to these "injury" excuses. Saints better figure it out this off season.

Penning's regression has been baffling.

Re: Trevor Penning leaning into technical aspects of playing offensive tackle with New Orleans Saints
 

I personally think he will be moved inside to see if they can anything out of him and maybe later try him again on the outside. I am not convinced moving him inside will work because I would have to think it would have been tried during the season when those injuries started hitting.

Re: Trevor Penning leaning into technical aspects of playing offensive tackle with New Orleans Saints
 

There is this view that if a player isn't athletic or moving quickly enough at tackle that moving to guard is the solution. IMO I don't think it gets any easier and if anything it gets more challenging. In pass blocking you're going to have to recognize more stunts and get in position better. In run blocking you'll have to pull and lead a fair amount. Playing guard is far from being a traffic cone.

Re: Trevor Penning leaning into technical aspects of playing offensive tackle with New Orleans Saints
 

Ireland or his scouts suggested him as a viable prospect. I want to know who ****ed up? Was it Ireland, Loomis or DA? Contrary to popular beliefs we don't draft well. Especially in the early rounds.

Re: Trevor Penning leaning into technical aspects of playing offensive tackle with New Orleans Saints
 

So he's a fullback

Re: Trevor Penning leaning into technical aspects of playing offensive tackle with New Orleans Saints
 

Do you think that benching may have destroyed his confidence?

I'm not trying to defend TP, but I'd like to see someone else other than Doug Marrone work with him in 2024.

Re: Trevor Penning leaning into technical aspects of playing offensive tackle with New Orleans Saints
 

I would like to see the Saints never draft a guy over 6'4" on the oline. They have trouble bending and where they get beat is defenders getting under their pads.

Re: Trevor Penning leaning into technical aspects of playing offensive tackle with New Orleans Saints
 

IIRC Penning's athleticism rated very high.

I think its more technique related than athleticism related.

Re: Trevor Penning leaning into technical aspects of playing offensive tackle with New Orleans Saints
 

HEIGHT: 6'7 1/8"

WEIGHT: 325

HAND: 10 1/8"

ARM: 34 1/4"

WINGSPAN: 6'10 7/8"

40-YARD DASH: 4.89

3-CONE: 7.25

SHUTTLE: 4.62

VERTICAL: 28"

BROAD: 9'3"

POSITIVES

— Light on his feet with fluid movement skills in space.

— Prototypical height, weight and length.

— Imposes his will with a bully mentality and dominates competition regularly.

— Uses a mixture of crafty hand techniques (snatch, flash) to keep rushers guessing.

— Generates major torque on command to toss defenders off their feet.

— Has the quickness and play strength to operate in any scheme.

NEGATIVES

— Tends to drop his outside foot, open his hips early and create a short corner against wider-aligned speed-rushers who attack his edge.

— Pads tend to rise after the snap and he plays high too often, leaving his inside shoulder vulnerable to getting opened up by speed to power.

— Has moments where he looks disinterested or bored, playing down to competition.

Re: Trevor Penning leaning into technical aspects of playing offensive tackle with New Orleans Saints
 

I very strongly disagree with that concept. There has to be accountability, starting jobs have to be earned. I think being drafted in the 1st round might have destroyed Penning's work ethic and gave him a sense of entitlement. Letting underperforming players keep starting indefinitely to maintain their confidence is just not an option for a competitive team. If the backup is outperforming him, the backup needs to start. And if the backup is outperforming him without the starting gig, imagine how much better the backup will be when being promoted boosts his confidence! Entitlement will destroy a team. Some players may lose confidence and spiral when benched while others may develop a chip on their shoulder and come back stronger, but just gifting low performers the starting gig to boost their confidence will destroy more than one players confidence, it will destroy the entire teams confidence, because none of the players will believe their performance will be acknowledged and rewarded. If anything, what destroyed Penning's confidence was starting him before he was 100% ready, which he may never be.

I would not count on Penning to start again EVER until he proves it. At this point he is a bust and you can hope for improvement but the minute you take that improvement for granted and say he will be fine, that is when you assure it will never happen. Does he have athleticism? Sure. So does Zach Wilson. That means nothing without well rounded skills and results. If he wants to try Guard maybe that will work, but don't pencil him in, he has proved nothing. For Andrus Peat guard was a disaster and his height meant he could not consistently get leverage and was worn down and constantly injured, for Penning it may prove no better. At this point Penning is Zach Wilson, he is Kevin White, he is Jalen Reagar. Counting on him is a pipe dream. The coaching needs to smack him in the face and see if he smacks back or bends over. And any coach or GM who drinks the Kool Aid and says Penning will be great next year and its like having an extra 1st round pick, they need to go. The fact is if we offered up Penning for trade, we would be lucky to get a 7th round pick. If he does not produce in 2024, he will likely be cut and looking for vet minimum camp invites.

Re: Trevor Penning leaning into technical aspects of playing offensive tackle with New Orleans Saints
 

So in other words we hoped for another Teron Armstead but ending up with Robert Gallery.

As for "cutting", I simply don't see that. Not with this organization (especially while Loomis is the GM) as we tend to hold on to dead weight longer than most teams.

The Saints coaching staff needs to be committed on playing up to his strengths & build on the things that he does well.

Bring in Roaf, Stincomb etc and work with him in the off season. I still won't rule out moving him to inside @ guard. People forget Andrus Peat struggled at LT earlier on in his career, then moved to guard where he has been good in run blocking.

Re: Trevor Penning leaning into technical aspects of playing offensive tackle with New Orleans Saints
 

I may have overlooked something. There's still a role for Penning in New Orleans.

Third-string center with the Pelicans. Those are 6 valuable fouls and you can rely on him grabbing and tripping when players are driving past him.

Re: Trevor Penning leaning into technical aspects of playing offensive tackle with New Orleans Saints
 

Penning buckled under the pressure. That's what most bullies do.

Re: Trevor Penning leaning into technical aspects of playing offensive tackle with New Orleans Saints
 

People keep talking about moving Penning to guard. I want to know if he can play right tackle.

Re: Trevor Penning leaning into technical aspects of playing offensive tackle with New Orleans Saints
 

https://blackandgold.com/saints/1012...tml#post942083

This is still his main problem; he plays high with a narrow base. Looks stiff and uneasy. He looks like a small college guy that could dominate people with size and power and never had to refine his technique and then he got to the NFL and now grown men are handing him his ass on a regular basis.

I would want him to suck it up and go to LeCharles Bentley this year. He is the best O-line thinke rout there IMHO. I implemented a bunch of his stuff in my playing and coaching and it made a TON of difference.

Re: Trevor Penning leaning into technical aspects of playing offensive tackle with New Orleans Saints
 

Right, right there.
I think that Penning is still thinking about is technique, as he plays.
During play - he is thinking "technique"; e.g. place my feet like this, have this body shape. When really Penning should have gotten the technique into automatic by now.

Re: Trevor Penning leaning into technical aspects of playing offensive tackle with New Orleans Saints
 

Honestly. He doesn't look like the sharpest tool in the shed. Maybe there is another problem besides technique.