Saints Announce 4 Personnel Moves
The New Orleans Saints announced four personnel moves on Thursday afternoon. As expected, rookie offensive tackle Trevor Penning was placed on injured reserve. He joins defensive tackle Malcolm Roach on injured reserve, whose official announcement was this afternoon.
Both players will be able to return this season if healthy, since the Saints waited to make the moves after the 53-man roster deadline of August 30. NFL teams are permitted to bring back eight players that were placed on injured reserve during the year. A player must miss at least four games once being placed on injured reserve.
Saints OT Trevor Penning (70) in preseason action against the Houston Texans. Credit: USA TODAY
Penning, the 19th overall selection in the first round and the second of the Saints two first-round picks this year, was competing for the starting left tackle spot. He injured his foot in the first quarter of the final preseason game against the Chargers.
Once was first thought to be a turf toe injury was revealed to have more extensive ligament damage after an MRI. Penning will now have surgery on the foot and is expected to be sidelined for a significant portion of the season.
Roach, 24, is in his third NFL season, all with New Orleans. He suffered a lower leg injury against the Chargers, but further details are unknown. Roach did return to the game against Los Angeles and could return to the roster as soon as the team’s week 5 contest against Seattle.
An undrafted player from Texas in 2020, Roach has two tackles for loss among 26 total stops, six QB pressures, and an interception over his two-year career. He is coming off a strong preseason and is an important part of the Saints interior defensive line rotation.
New Orleans also announced the re-signing of RB Dwayne Washington to their active roster and the addition of G Drew Desjarlais to their practice squad. The Saints open the 2022 regular season with a road game against the Atlanta Falcons.
