Their 2025 draft plan may be affected.
The 2025 New Orleans Saints offseason will be filled with some difficult decisions that affect the team’s long-term future. Much of the focus will be on the next head coach and which player’s contracts get restructured, but it may be time to start looking at the fifth-year options of two players. The Saints’ 2022 first-round picks, Chris Olave and Trevor Penning, can now have their fifth-year options picked up, and the deadline is May 1. Yes, this is almost three months away, so the Saints have time to decide, but this future decision will impact their 2025 draft plan. I expect the Saints to pick up Olave’s option, but Trevor Penning is more of a question.
If the Saints pick up Penning’s option, they would be currently projected to owe him $17,412,000 fully guaranteed in 2026, per OverTheCap. This is a large cap number for one year, but if Penning were the solidified starter at right tackle, this would be perfectly fine. Penning has not been that, and although improvement was made in 2024/25, he still lacks consistency. The Saints are also trying to fix the team’s cap space. In this case, they would already pick up Olave’s option, which is $15,161,000, and although the cap will be improved in 2026, it won’t be fixed entirely. Trevor Penning may have a fantastic 2025/26 season, and the Saints could look stupid for not picking up his option, but at that point, they can sign him to a longer contract. However, this level of improvement should not be expected, and in the end, it is just too risky to pick up Trevor Penning’s fifth-year option.
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Going ahead with the idea that Penning’s contract won’t be picked up for the 2026 season, the Saints need to prepare for his departure. New Orleans can wait and draft a tackle in the 2026 Draft Class, but that is not a good idea. Good teams deal with future issues before they become an issue. One of the best selections by the Saints last year was Kool-Aid McKinstry in the second round. This move was made in preparation for Marshon Lattimore potentially being traded away, which happened, and Paulson Adebo leaving in 2025 free agency. Without Kool-Aid, the Saints would be in a much worse spot.
The team should repeat this thought process with the idea that Trevor Penning will no longer be on the roster in 2026. If the Saints deal with right tackle in the upcoming draft, it will allow for more flexibility in 2026. New Orleans could be looking for a new quarterback going into next year’s offseason, and the draft will probably be the way they go. The team would not want to worry about their starting right tackle when trying to find a starting quarterback. These positions are also too expensive for the Saints to find an answer in free agency. In the end, if they pick up or extend Penning’s contract, New Orleans can potentially move whoever they drafted as the future tackle to left guard. This is another position that needs fixing in the draft, and if the Saints do select a tackle prospect, it may be wise for that player to have some guard flexibility for the 2025 season and beyond. Another option for the team is drafting a left tackle and moving Taliese Fuaga to the right side, but why mess up something that is working?
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This tackle class is not the greatest in the first round, so if I were the Saints, I would avoid drafting one at pick 9. In the Second Round, Josh Conerly Jr. and Aireontae Ersery are currently projected to go near the Saints’ selection, and either would be great. Both prospects primarily played at left tackle in college, so switching them to the right side may take some time, but with Penning still on the roster in 2025, either prospect can learn behind him for a year. Conerly is less likely to be available at 40, but he would be a home run pick and could be an instant upgrade at right tackle for New Orleans. Earsery would be the more likely option at 40. He is tough, physical, a great run blocker, and has good movement in pass protection. Earsery will need some development, but some time behind Penning in 2025 will help.
In round three, Anthony Belton would be my selection. Belton has performed great at the Senior Bowl and has shown flexibility playing guard and tackle. Like Conerly and Ersery, Belton will have to move from the left side to the right, but for the 2025 season, Belton can slot into that LG spot. His guard flexibility is something Conerly and Ersery may not have, so even if the Saints select Belton and end up extending or picking up Penning’s contract, he can be the answer to New Orleans’ left guard issue.
With all that in mind, would you pick up Trevor Penning’s fifth-year option? If not, would you want the Saints to deal with tackle now? or wait until the 2026 NFL Draft?
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