It's now or never for Trevor Penning in Saints' second preseason game

Trevor Penning may be learning a new position, but his struggles in previous years have led to him garnering no patience from the fanbase and likely little patience from the coaching staff.

When the New Orleans Saints face off against the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, this may be Penning’s last chance to convince the staff of his potential before they begin searching for another option.

That option won’t be available until after the preseason when teams begin to trim down their roster. One could even make the argument the team should already be beginning their scouting process. Penning has struggled, and the fact no one on the roster has overtaken him speaks volumes.

After being benched early last year and struggling with the transition to right tackle, the time is now to show reason to believe. Penning doesn’t need to be great. He does need to show some growth. His progress to this point has been too slow to truly help him or the team.

Penning was bad against the Cardinals. It may only be one game at right tackle, but it’s a part of a three-year process. At this stage, doubt is warranted. The benefit of the doubt is not. Banking on him to bounce back from a poor preseason is a risky investment at best. It’s now or never for Trevor Penning, and it starts on Sunday night versus the San Francisco 49ers.