The New Orleans Saints have a lot riding on a rebuilt offensive line in the 2024 season, and nowhere will that be highlighted more in the preseason than with Trevor Penning's shift to right tackle.
Can he do it, with rookie Taliese Fuaga manning his former spot at left tackle? Former Saints tackle and Super Bowl champion Jon Stinchcomb told WWL that it's a lot more about what's between the ears than anything else for Penning.
“I think it’s just a matter of confidence for him," Stinchcomb said. "When he first was drafted, the understanding was this is a really high ceiling player, but he’s gonna need time to develop and unfortunately that first season was marred by injuries. ... Year 2 you force him onto the field because of need and because it’s a year removed from him being the first-round pick and it was pretty evident that he just wasn’t ready."
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The Saints have struck similar notes in regard to Penning, who started the first five games of the 2023 season before being sent to the bench. He didn't see the field much outside of special teams snaps the rest of the way, with Andrus Peat stepping in and holding down the LT spot.
Peat departed in free agency and veteran James Hurst retired. The Saints brought in a handful of veteran options, but it's clear what they'd like option A to be if they can stick with it. The team fired former coach Doug Marrone and brought in John Benton, who has said he doesn't see a switch across the line as a major challenge. Stinchcomb, who started at RT throughout his career, agrees.
"I think you can absolutely make that kind of switch," Stinchcomb said. "I think it’s probably more of body mechanics [being] different. ... It’s just a mirror, if you will. That’s the biggest transition.”
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The Saints are back in action on Tuesday at their second set of OTAs. There will be a third session the following week, then a mandatory minicamp. The Saints' full training camp will kick off in late July out in Irvine, California.
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Confidence level for 2024 season
“I think it’s tempered, to be a little bit measured here. I think that you just look overall and there are some teams that are probably a little further along in their development and there’s some positions of rebuild, and I think you look at the staff and that’s been recognized as well, kind of a change in direction with new OC, new offensive line coach, you’re bringing in some younger players and that’s kind of married with some of the veterans, so I don’t think this is a total rebuild by any means, and I do think this is a very winnable division, but it’s gonna be players outperforming expectations to reach some of those goals. Not saying that it’s inconceivable, but I think we’re probably, if you’re trying to give a more unbiased opinion, we’re probably more middle of the pack, looking to kind of add pieces and project more next year, potentially, but again, nobody really wants to hear that this time of year.”
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Thoughts on offensive overhaul
“There comes a time where you almost need to infuse a new energy, and obviously, I think when that transition was made at the head coach position, it was more of we like where we’re at, we don’t need to make some major changes, let’s see if we can make this run with a lot of the pieces that we already had in place, and, you know, I think now you’re looking at it going, well, maybe a little new juice isn’t gonna hurt and specifically with the offense. I’m a huge Pete Carmichael fan and Sean Payton as well, but I think we all agree that this last season we were hoping to see a little more life to the offense, and obviously the OC and the quarterback usually take the heat first and the loudest, but I’m excited. I think it’s a good opportunity for New Orleans to kind of breathe in some new energy in a space that may have gotten a little stagnant.”