#Saints went full pads today, and first-round pick Trevor Penning no doubt enjoyed the change in training camp. Penning and Payton Turner with some extra curricular activities after the whistle. pic.twitter.com/yzdtZU8Eod
— Garland Gillen (@garlandgillen) August 1, 2022
There’s that attitude we’ve been talking about. The top quality associated with Trevor Penning in this year’s NFL draft was his aggression — a nasty streak that saw him sometimes play through the whistle, shoving opponents around to set the tone. And that showed up at New Orleans Saints training camp on Monday when players hit the practice field in pads for the first time.
Penning was matched up with Turner in team drills, and after getting the better of the second-year defensive end on one rep, throwing Turner to the ground and shoving him upfield, the two came to blows. Turner swung first, and Penning responded, though teammates were quick to split them up. It’s a marked contrast with the two brawls that cut short a recent Atlanta Falcons practice (one of which involved former Saints defensive tackle Jalen Dalton).
But this is good to see. It’s Penning’s job to assert himself and enforce his will on the man lining up against him. Just like it’s Turner’s job to stand up for himself and respond in kind. August in New Orleans isn’t a very forgiving climate and emotions run high in full-contact practices like these. So long as things don’t intensify beyond quick scraps like this, both young players can learn from the experience and continue to improve because of it.
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