Former Washington OL Donald Penn begs LA Rams ‘Call me man!’

Three-time Pro Bowler OL Donald Penn begs the LA Rams HC Sean McVay to be signed from NFL Free agency, ‘Call me man!’

The LA Rams may not be looking for help on the offensive line from NFL Free Agency right now, but that isn’t stopping former three-time Pro Bowler and former Washington offensive tackle Donald Penn from looking for the LA Rams. He wants a chance to sign up with the potential playoff-bound Rams, and he’s not being the least bit shy about it. And he’s not the only one who has been lobbying for him.  You see, we named Penn months ago as a veteran free agent to target, and we’re just as hopeful now.

Penn is every bit the part of an NFL offensive tackle, standing 6-foot-4 and weighing in at 315 pounds. While the LA Rams appear to be committed to promoting from within and in giving young linemen a chance, Penn makes a lot of sense for a lot of reasons. He is a full two years younger than veteran left tackle Andrew Whitworth and he’s been doing a good job in the NFL until he became a salary-cap casualty in the 2020 NFL season.

Right position, the right shape

By his own account, Penn has stayed in NFL shape, looking to sign on with an NFL team for a playoff run.  Right now, he’s counting on the LA Rams to be such a team.

This is not the first time a still-gifted veteran has the potential to sign on with a team aiming at the playoffs. A year ago, OLB Terrell Suggs signed on with the Kansas City Chiefs to reinforce their defense.

"“Why ain’t y’all call me yet, man?!” Penn says. “McVay, come on, baby. You my dog! You know what I mean? Hit me up if you need me! I mean, it’s crazy,” Penn tells us. “Sometimes I watch and I’m like man, I look at some of these young cats out here and I’m like, Wow, like what are they doing? I’m like, I can do that easily still in my sleep now. I’m still staying in shape, ready to go if somebody needs me.” – Donald Penn per TMZ.com"

Reaching out to LA Rams head coach Sean McVay makes sense, as Donald Penn played for LA Rams offensive coordinator Kevin O’Connell in 2019. By all accounts, Penn had a very good season for Washington on a one-year deal. He was called for 11 penalties and allowed six sacks over the course of the season.

Pro Bowler

Penn earned a spot in the NFL Pro Bowl in 2010 while playing for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and in 2016 and 2017 while playing for the then Oakland Raiders. His play with the Raiders declined rapidly as he fought off injuries at the end of 2017 throughout the 2018 season. He suffered a foot injury at the end of the 2017 season which resulted in missing the last game as well as a playoff game. The following year, he struggled to stay healthy, suffering from some lower leg and groin injuries which limited him to just four games.

He signed on with Washington in 2019, proving to the NFL that he still ‘has it’. Now, he wants a chance to compete for a championship, and few NFL teams offer the opportunity to compete in the postseason while in need of a stalwart offensive lineman. The Rams offer both, and Penn has set his sights on prodding the team for a call and possibly a tryout leading to a signing.

I can’t say it any more eloquently than he said it himself. Call him, man. He is still in NFL form, and the Rams could do far worse than picking up a veteran offensive lineman who can still start this late in the season.