The New England Patriots will be looking to upgrade their offensive line in the upcoming NFL Draft. While they could spend the 4th overall pick on a lineman, they may need more than one player to better protect Drake Maye.
The New Orleans Saints could be headed for a long, overdue rebuild. They could be willing to trade a struggling starter in exchange for draft capital. FanSided's Michael DeVito urged the Patriots to trade for Trevor Penning.
"Unfortunately, the soon-to-be 26-year-old Penning was injured during his rookie season and only played in six games," wrote DeVito. "He was a presumptive left tackle—it's where he played at Northern Iowa—so he's experienced playing on an island. Last year, he emerged as a starter on the right side."
On the Patriots, Penning could play left tackle, as he did in college. He was a first-round pick in 2022 and signed a $14 million rookie contract. He has dealt with some injuries early in his career.
"Cap issues could push the Saints to explore trading the former first-rounder. If that happens, no team in the NFL has a more pressing need at offensive tackle than the Patriots," wrote DeVito. "They don’t have a tried and true NFL-caliber left tackle on the roster. They’ll need to go heavy in the draft for at least two—but adding Penning as a complementary piece still makes sense."
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Last season, he started all 17 games. However, he is going into the final year of his deal, but has a fifth-year option available. A change of scenery could do him some good, and he would fill a need for the Patriots. His versatility would give the Patriots some flexibility if they draft a lineman early in the draft as well.
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