Saints could cut ties with former first-round draft bust

The New Orleans Saints made a major addition the offensive line this offseason.

Despite the buzz and rumors regarding a potential quarterback selection at No. 9 overall, the Saints opted to take Texas offensive tackle Kelvin Banks Jr. in order to bolster the front five.

Considering Banks played his collegiate career at left tackle, it's fair to assume the Saints will slide Taliese Fuaga to the right side.

That decision could ultimately spell the end for former first-round pick Trevor Penning, who was suggested as a cut candidate by Bleacher Report's Kristopher Knox.

The New Orleans Saints used a 2022 first-round pick on offensive tackle Trevor Penning, but they haven't seen the Northern Iowa product emerge as a reliable starter. Roughly three years later, it could be time to pull the plug on the Penning experiment.

Penning came into the league with intriguing upside—he was the 29th-ranked prospect on the Bleacher Report Scouting Department's final draft board—but he's made just 12 starts in three seasons. After using first-round picks on Taliese Fuaga and Kelvin Banks Jr. in consecutive years, New Orleans may simply want to move on from Penning.

The Saints already declined the fifth-year option for Penning, which means he will be a free agent following the 2025 season.

After being selected with the No. 19 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, Penning has failed to live up to expectations. The Northern Iowa product just turned 26 years old, but he hasn't given much hope that a turnaround is likely.

As a full-time starter for the first time in his career during the 2024 season, Penning allowed five sacks and 54 total pressures, per Pro Football Focus. His total pressures allowed were the most among all NFL offensive tackles.

Penning's contract is fully guaranteed so the Saints wouldn't gain anything financially by parting ways with him, but he'll certainly be battling for a roster spot during training camp.