It appears the Trent Williams holdout won’t have a resolve in the immediate future, as the Washington Redskins are set to sign free agent left tackle Donald Penn, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
Penn worked out with the Redskins last week but a deal was not reached. Instead, Washington opted to sign offensive tackle Corey Robinson.
Penn provides insurance in the event Williams’ holdout prolongs further. And he upgrades the team talent at swing tackle with Williams’ return or if the team opts to start Geron Christian in his absence.
For training camp, he provides depth at the very least. The team can shift Ereck Flowers out of the tackle position to guard where they were planned to play him when he signed with the team this off-season.
Donald Penn made three Pro Bowls during his 12 years in the NFL between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Oakland Raiders. The latest coming in 2017.
Penn struggled in 2018, as he was shifted to right tackle in favor of then-rookie Kolton Miller at left tackle. A groin injury then ended Penn’s season after four games. Oakland released him in March after signing Trent Brown to a multi-year deal.
Certainly Penn’s impending signing will give Washington leverage in the Trent Williams’ situation. It’s unclear how strained the relationship is between Williams and the Redskins, but Washington is making sure to cover themselves just in case their is not change heading into preseason.
