With good reason, New Orleans Saints right tackle Trevor Penning played more preseason snaps at his position than any of the team's other starting linemen played at theirs.
Probably more than the others, Penning needed the work.
Two NFL seasons at left tackle didn't pan out and he flipped to right tackle this offseason as the Saints searched for a viable replacement for All-Pro Ryan Ramczyk, who will miss the season due to a lingering knee issue, and Penning chased a fresh start in a new offense under coordinator Klint Kubiak.
The official rollout as the starting right tackle comes Sunday in the Caesars Superdome, when the Saints play the regular-season opener against Carolina. But there were many offseason reps that led to Sunday, including the preseason snaps accumulated when the other starters had completed their assignments and were on the sideline for the rest of the game.
"Yeah, I'd say so probably," Penning said when asked if he needed the extended work. "It's always good to get reps. I thought getting more experience would definitely help and I think it definitely did.
"I felt getting the reps is very important, not only in practice but in games. Because that's where it's for real. You try as hard as you can to mimic game-like situations at practice, but there's nothing like a game and getting those reps is very important."
And in those games is where Penning said he felt his improvement.
"The first game (against Arizona), I definitely didn't feel like myself," he said. "I feel like I was playing a little too hesitant, and you can't do that.
"I think the second game I definitely improved (against San Francisco), and I think the last game (against Tennessee) I had a couple of things in pass pro that I need to clean up. The run game was pretty good, but I think I can keep improving on that and play even better.
"I watched (the Arizona game), didn't play how I liked and I put my head back down and kept working, and fixed the things that I needed to fix and kept going."
As a result, Penning, a first-round pick (No. 19 overall) in 2022, weathered the challenge and remained in position throughout the offseason.
"I think my hands in pass pro have improved a lot," he said. "I think just using angles in my run game or pass game, just being able to use angles to my advantage to get the best possible leverage on a player. Being able to figure that out, and being able to use that so I can use my power that I have."
Power, Penning has in abundance. Learning better how to harness it and use it has been the ongoing assignment.
"Just going into practice every day and keep working on your craft and improving helps your confidence," he said. "You see improvement in practice and being able to go out in a game and actually utilize it. It's built during practice and it's going good.
"I think I'm up there where I was at left tackle (in terms of comfort), even better, I think. I think I've improved on a lot of different stuff – my football IQ, I think, has improved a lot just by more time doing it and being around a little longer."
Kubiak said Penning has done everything the staff has asked of him.
"He's a super coachable guy, he's had some really good practices," Kubiak said. "A lot can be said about where he started and where he's come and I'm really proud to get to coach Trevor.
"(Senior offensive assistant) Rick Dennison and (offensive line coach) John Benton, those guys have done a phenomenal job with him and with the whole offensive line. But (Penning) has earned the right to go out there and play really well on Sunday, and I'm looking forward to going to see what he does.
"But it's a five-man show out there. It's all five working together, not just him."
While that's indisputable it's just as evident that Penning will be a watched man, as he has been the entire offseason.
"I just come in here to work and I try to do my best," Penning said. "I'm doing everything I can to be the best player I can be.
"You can't really dwell on stuff that happened. Making a mistake, you just learn from your mistakes, basically. Yeah, you get frustrated and all but you've just got to learn from it and make sure it never happens again and just keep growing from it."
