NEW ORLEANS — The New Orleans Saints have activated rookie tackle Trevor Penning, designating him to return from injured reserve, according to a report from NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.
Penning has yet to play a regular season game in his career after he suffered a significant toe injury in the Saints' final preseason game.
His return means his 21-day practice window to officially return to the field has opened. His status for Sunday's game in Pittsburgh is unclear, although it appears unlikely that he will play.
Penning was taken 19th overall by the Saints in April's draft. The Northern Iowa product was noted for his intensity during training camp, often getting into confrontations with teammates, and showed a great deal of promise in the preseason before suffering his injury.