Bengals just put a second-year player on notice thanks to their latest practice squad signing
A notable player is joining Cincinnati’s practice squad.
The Cincinnati Bengals are signing defensive tackle Mike Pennel to their practice squad, giving them a full 16 players for the unit entering Week 1.
Pennel, a former undrafted free agent signing of the Green Bay Packers, is entering his 12th season in the NFL. Primarily a nose tackle, he’s most recently played for the Kansas City Chiefs and started seven of the 17 games he played for them during the 2024 season. He was also a part of Kansas City’s Super Bowl-winning teams in 2019 and 2023.
At 34, Pennel is the oldest player in the Bengals’ locker room, with Ted Karras now behind him at 32. Cincinnati intends to elevate Pennel to the active roster “early in the season,” NFL insider Jordan Schultz reported.
Pennel does not appear to be just another practice squad body. He’s played 155 career games (including postseason) and was given the starter’s treatment by Kansas City this entire offseason before being released during final cuts. He’s good enough to be on the Bengals’ 53-man roster, and he could just boot a current member off the team in time.
Mike Pennel adds pressure on McKinnley Jackson’s plate
Cincinnati pushed second-year NT McKinnley Jackson incredibly hard during training camp and preseason action last month. Jackson, a third-round pick from the 2024 NFL Draft, played 45 snaps during the preseason finale despite being a roster lock because the coaching staff wanted him to prove himself.
Signing a veteran at his position with the intent of playing him after an acclimation period seems very intentional.
If Jackson doesn’t play well in his role as the backup NT under a new defensive coaching staff, the reins could be handed to Pennel, who can simply be signed to the 53-man roster at any point in time. The club can elevate Pennel up to three times without clearing a roster spot for him.
Speaking of the staff, Pennel has already played under defensive line coach Jerry Montgomery from 2015 to 2016, the first two years Montgomery held the defensive front assistant job in Green Bay. That connection also plays into Pennel’s favor as opposed to Jackson, who was drafted by a previous coaching staff on that side of the ball.
Jackson will remain on the team for Week 1, but the clock is starting to tick a bit faster now that an experienced player at his position will be breathing down his neck in practice.
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