Mike

Pennel

Pennel was briefly on the Bengals to begin this season, but was released on Tuesday. The Chiefs waste no time bringing the veteran back, after spending each of the last two seasons in Kansas City. Pennel will play a depth role again for the Chiefs’ defensive line.

According to NFL insider Jordan Schultz, the Bengals plan to start Pennel on the practice squad with plans to elevate him “early in the season.” Pennel has spent the last two seasons with the Chiefs, totaling 29 tackles and three sacks in 20 games while also notching four TFLs. The veteran has played primarily in a depth role during his career, starting in just 25 of the 138 games he’s appeared in. He’ll likely see a similar role with the Bengals once he’s elevated to the active roster.

The Chiefs cut Tonyan after signing him to a one-year deal this offseason. However, Kansas City Star’s Sam McDowell reports the plan is for Tonyan to return to the team. The Chiefs also released LB Cole Christiansen, S Mike Edwards, DT Mike Pennel, and DT Marlon Tuipulotu. They also waived CB Elijhah Badger, DE Owen Carney, CB Ajani Carter, T Dalton Cooper, S Jacobe Covington, WR Mac Dalena, T Chukwuebuka Godrick, G C.J. Hanson, CB Azizi Hearn, WR Jimmy Holiday, DT Coziah Izzard, LB Cam Jones, CB Kevin Knowles, C Joey Lombard, DT Fabien Lovett, DE Nate Matlack, S Glendon Miller, LB Xander Mueller, QB Chris Oladokun, T Esa Pole, WR Hal Presley, WR Key’Shawn Smith, CB Melvin Smith, TE Geor’Quarius Spivey, TE Tre Watson, RB Michael Wiley, and S Major Williams.

Pennel totaled 25 tackles and three sacks for the Chiefs last season while appearing in all 17 games. The 11-year vet also tied a career-high with seven starts, turning in one of the best seasons of his career to date. Pennel will likely be tasked with reprising a similar role to what we saw last season, but after averaging nearly 18 snaps per game, he should see plenty of time on the field.

Pennel totaled four tackles for the Chiefs last year but appeared in only three regular season games. Pennel played in all four playoff contests and combined for six tackles in the Super Bowl. A familiar face who was also with the team in 2019 and 2020, Pennel, 32, should make for nice depth along the defensive line next season.

The Chiefs were already set to be without DT Derrick Nnadi on Sunday but fellow DT Charles Omenihu was also listed as questionable with an illness. While there is optimism that Omenihu will be able to play, the Chiefs are clearly looking to add more depth in the interior since both Nnadi and Omenihu each played over 50 percent of the team’s snaps in the first game against the Bills.

The 31-year-old rotational lineman played 37% of the defensive snaps across 10 games for Atlanta last season. To make room, the Bears cut veteran EDGE Jeremiah Attaochu.

Pennel made an appearance in 14 games for the Chiefs last year but failed to survive beyond Chicago’s second preseason game. He’s totaled one sack and two tackles for loss in the past four seasons.

Pennel was a rotational run-stuffer for the Chiefs last year, picking up one start in 14 games after serving a two-game suspension. With one sack and two TFLs in the past four years, Pennel will play primarily on early downs with the Bears. The signing could be a tell that there’s some type of rift between defensive tackle Eddie Goldman and Chicago. Goldman was absent from minicamp and Bears coach Matt Nagy noted that his absence was unexcused.

The reason is unclear. Pennel has two previous bans for violating the substance-abuse policy. The 29-year-old is a rotational run stuffer for the Super Bowl champs.