5 NFL rookies that could disappoint fans in 2022 season

NFL rookie that could disappoint no. 3: Trevor Penning, OT, Saints

Trevor Penning came into the NFL with some odds already stacked against him. First of all, playing left tackle on a full-time basis in the NFL is not an easy task. Although no position in the NFL is “easy” to play, blocking for a quarterback’s blind side is particularly pressure-packed.

It seems like Penning has the right mentality to play the left tackle position from a physicality standpoint, but he’s coming from Northern Iowa which isn’t exactly a Georgia or Alabama. With all due respect to Northern Iowa, the level of competition Penning faced was certainly a question mark, one he sort of addressed at the Senior Bowl.

You love the athleticism with Penning, you love the physicality, but to what degree? Penning was apparently kicked out of Saints training camp after instigating a fight on three consecutive days of practice. Yikes.

https://twitter.com/CheckBMS/status/1554881605344403457

That’s not just an aggressive, physical mentality. That’s a complete lack of awareness and a total disregard for your teammates. Penning’s aggressiveness and physical style of play can definitely work in his favor, but there are still confines of the game you have to stay inside.

Whether Penning is trying to make an impression by playing through the whistle or whether he’s purposely being malicious is really not important at this point. The point is, you might be able to get away with the dramatic Blind Side type of stuff at Northern Iowa, but that’s not going to fly in the NFL.

You can’t block Shaquil Barrett after a play is over. You can’t get upset at Brian Burns for whooping you on a pass rush and smack him in the mouth. Those 15 yards can cost your team a game.

As the saying goes, old habits die hard. You could also say that the best predictor of future behavior is past behavior. Whatever you want to say, if Trevor Penning doesn’t figure out a way to keep his cool on the field, he’s poised to become one of the most disappointing rookies in the entire NFL in 2022.