New Orleans Saints trade Shaheed, Penning for Future Picks

The New Orleans Saints made two bold roster moves on Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2025, sending wide receiver Rashid Shaheed to the Seattle Seahawks and offensive lineman Trevor Penning to the Los Angeles Chargers. The trades return a 2026 fourth and fifth round pick for Shaheed, and a 2027 sixth rounder for Penning, signaling a clear emphasis on draft capital and a patient rebuild.

Why the Saints Traded a Top Performing Receiver

Shaheed’s speed and special teams impact drew steady attention across the league. Seattle adds an explosive field stretcher, while New Orleans banks two mid-round selections in next year’s draft. For Penning, a former first rounder who struggled to settle at tackle or guard, the move offers a fresh start in Los Angeles, and gives the Saints another late pick with which to work.

Saints Rebuilding.... From the Ground Up

Football analyst Mike Detillier framed the day as an early chapter in a longer process. New Orleans needed more selections, and now has a few more chances to reshape the roster. The caution is obvious, the plan only works if the scouting and development pay off. “You need to accumulate draft choices,” Detillier said, adding that the Saints are still in the “very early stages” of rebuilding and must connect on those picks.

Penning’s departurefrom New Orleans: A Tough Admission

Moving Penning is an acknowledgment that the fit never clicked. The Saints tried him at left tackle, then right tackle, then inside, yet the same technical issues showed up. Detillier called the outcome a major disappointment, the kind of miss that forces a club to reset expectations and reallocate resources.

What’s next for New Orleans

Expect the front office to lean on its scouting staff, pursue value in the middle rounds, and use the added flexibility to address line play, perimeter speed, and depth. With limited premium picks on the books, stacking extra selections increases the odds of finding contributors on rookie deals, which is essential for cap health and roster balance. Today’s trades set the table, the evaluation and development to come will determine the meal.