The New Orleans Saints have been rattled with bad news lately, but finally got some positive updates on the injury front related to Trevor Penning.
Trevor Penning was taken 19th overall in the 2022 NFL Draft by the New Orleans Saints to shore up the protection on the offensive line. The Saints, ready to bring back Jameis Winston from injury, looked to fortify their line and give Penning an opportunity to compete for a starting spot on the left side against James Hurst.
Penning looked to make his name known right away in camp, getting tossed out of practice for being too aggressive and getting in fights with his teammates. Saints fan reaction was split, but a crowd loved the intensity and looked forward to seeing him bring it against defenses looking to counter the Saints’ offensive plans.
Unfortunately, Penning went out in a preseason game with an injury. He suffered a bad case of turf toe that resulted in a torn ligament and needed surgery. The recovery timeline was previously unknown, with analysts suggesting missing the entirety of his rookie year was not out of the question.
Saints get excellent injury update on Trevor Penning
Luckily for Penning and the Saints, the surgery seems to have gone well and brings his timeline up much earlier than was originally anticipated according to Ian Rapoport.
Early November is great for New Orleans. Assuming a best-case scenario where Penning is back in practice the first week of November and in games within two weeks, he could be back for the Week 11 matchup with the Los Angeles Rams. Assuming no further injury in that hypothetical scenario, that brings Penning back for the final seven games of the Saints season.
If his ascension to game shape is slower, you have to assume he could still be ready for games in December. Of the five games New Orleans has on the schedule in December, three are NFC South matchups that could be critical to determining the division title, including a Monday night matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
And in a worst-case scenario as Rapoport notes, if he is only available in practice that’s still pretty good. Clearly, his energy raises the intensity around practices for New Orleans which will raise the level of preparation.
Whatever the case, it’s great news for the Saints after a bad week. Fans were disappointed to hear the Saints traded C.J. Garnder-Johnson to the Eagles for a mid-round draft pick, and Marcus Maye was arrested last week for aggravated assault with a weapon. The fanbase desperately needed some good vibes leading up to the season’s start.
