Chargers-saints Trade Grades: Los Angeles Finds Help For Justin Herbert’s Depleted O-line

The Chargers added immoderate much-needed thief for their depleted violative statement minutes earlier Tuesday’s NFL waste and acquisition deadline arrived. 

Los Angeles relinquished a 2027 sixth-round prime to New Orleans successful speech for versatile violative lineman Trevor Penning, a 2022 first-round selection. This move comes a time aft nan Chargers announced that stud near tackle Joe Alt sustained a season-ending ankle wounded successful nan Week 9 triumph against nan Titans. The squad had already mislaid prima tackle Rashawn Slater for nan twelvemonth backmost successful nan preseason. 

Penning was drafted to beryllium a tackle, but he ne'er recovered his footing astatine nan position, forcing New Orleans to commencement him astatine near defender this season. The Saints had immoderate elasticity connected their violative statement because they utilized caller first-round picks connected tackles Kelvin Banks Jr. and Taliese Fuaga. 

Here are my grades for nan last waste and acquisition connected deadline day.

This L.A. violative statement needs truthful overmuch thief that there’s nary evident starting position for Penning. The Chargers could springiness knowledgeable tackle Trey Pipkins III a chance to protect Justin Herbert’s blindside while placing Penning astatine correct tackle, wherever he played astir of past play pinch nan Saints.

But Penning, 26, showed immoderate advancement arsenic a guard, different area wherever nan Chargers request help, particularly because correct defender Mekhi Becton has struggled to enactment patient this season. Left defender Zion Johnson, a 2022 first-round pick, has had a akin rocky profession arsenic Penning. 

Regardless of wherever Penning plays, nan Chargers (6–3) needed to make a move to springiness Herbert a fighting chance to get this banged-up squad into nan postseason. Good violative linemen are seldom disposable for trades, but Penning’s presence could springiness this squad a constituent patchwork violative statement to perchance unafraid a playoff spot down nan stretch.

On nan down side, patchwork violative lines tin autumn isolated astatine immoderate moment, conscionable inquire nan 2024 Vikings, who traded for Cam Robinson to switch nan injured Christian Darrisaw past year, only for nan reshuffled statement to crumble successful nan 2 biggest games of nan season, including nan wild-card nonaccomplishment vs. nan Rams.

Without Alt, nan Chargers are nary longer morganatic Super Bowl contenders. But they could beryllium a scary squad successful nan playoffs pinch Herbert and a talented group of walk catchers, if this violative statement holds up successful nan coming months. 

Grade: B   

Saints 

Trading Penning is different reminder of really overmuch GM Mickey Loomis has whiffed connected his first-round picks successful caller years. But astatine slightest nan Saints gained different draught prime aft landing a bully haul earlier Tuesday in nan woody that sent wide receiver Rashid Shaheed to Seattle. 

Usually, utilizing 3 first-round picks successful a four-year span connected nan violative statement leads to tremendous results. That’s been acold from nan lawsuit successful New Orleans, but nan squad mightiness person recovered thing successful bookend tackles Banks and Fuaga, who sustained an ankle wounded past week. 

Still, it’s difficult to show what this violative statement is tin of without a franchise quarterback. Spencer Rattler didn’t cookware retired and it’s excessively soon to make an appraisal connected second-round rookie Tyler Shough, who made his starting debut successful past week’s nonaccomplishment against nan Rams.

Overall, nan Saints should person traded much of their apical players to yet get a existent rebuild going successful New Orleans, which hasn’t happened since Drew Brees retired 5 years ago. But nan 2 moves connected Tuesday are babe steps successful nan correct direction.

Grade: C+ 

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