Mike Pennel

Chiefs To Re-Sign DL Mike Pennel

Currently on his second stint with the organization, Mike Pennel will be sticking with the Chiefs for at least another year. The team announced that they’ve re-signed the veteran defensive lineman. It’ll be a one-year deal for Pennel.

The former UDFA had stints with the Packers, Jets, and Patriots before landing with the Chiefs in 2019. He ended up getting into 22 regular season games during his first two seasons in Kansas City. He also appeared in six playoff games, including a 2019 Super Bowl-winning run when he started two postseason contests.

Pennel spent time with the Bears and the Falcons between 2021 and 2022 before landing back in Kansas City last October. He initially joined the practice squad and only got into three regular season games, but he saw a much larger role in the playoffs, starting three of his four appearances. This included a Super Bowl win where he compiled six tackles.

The Chiefs have been busy retaining their DT depth. Of course, Pennel’s new deal will pale in comparison to the massive contract that fellow DT Chris Jones earned from the organization.

Final Transactions Before Super Bowl LVIII

FEBRUARY 11: McKinnon is a game time decision, but NFL Network’s James Palmer reports he is expected to play. Sunday’s contest would represent his first action since Week 14, but it would also mark an impressive recovery in relatively short order from his core muscle surgery. McKinnon is a pending free agent, and a strong performance would help his market on another Chiefs deal or one with a new team.

FEBRUARY 10: With the NFL’s season finale taking place tomorrow night, both participants have made their roster moves in anticipation of the biggest game of the year. The 49ers‘ moves are simple as they choose to promote defensive tackles Alex Barrett and T.Y. McGill as standard gameday elevations, per Matt Barrows of The Athletic. The Chiefs will make an elevation, as well, while also choosing to swap out an active roster player for a player off of injured reserve.

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The Chiefs standard gameday practice squad elevation will once again be nose tackle Mike Pennel, who has been activated for each of Kansas City’s three playoff victories thus far. In the past, Pennel has been joined by practice squad cornerback Keith Taylor or defensive tackle Matt Dickerson, but it appears Pennel will be the lone practice squad defender activated for tomorrow.

As for the active roster addition, the Chiefs have made the move to officially activate running back Jerick McKinnon off of IR. The veteran rusher has mostly been a non-factor in the Chiefs offense this year but has served a role as the team’s backup pass-catching back. Despite the activation, McKinnon is still listed as questionable going into Sunday night’s game. In order to make room for McKinnon on the active roster, the Chiefs placed All-Pro guard Joe Thuney on IR. Thuney’s status was already known, so clearing him from the active roster should have little consequence at this point.

For San Francisco, Barrett and McGill are expected to be among the seven players listed as inactive for the big game. While this may make the elevations seem trivial, it’s the 49ers way of rewarding the reserve defenders. Elevating Barrett and McGill will provide the two with an additional playoff paycheck before the season ends.

Minor NFL Transactions: 1/27/24

Here are the standard gameday practice squad elevations for Championship Sunday:

Baltimore Ravens

Detroit Lions

Kansas City Chiefs

San Francisco 49ers

Minor NFL Transactions: 1/20/24

With three games remaining this weekend, six teams were required to announce their roster moves today:

Buffalo Bills

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Kansas City Chiefs

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Bills and Lions move forward with the same pair of standard gameday practice squad elevations as last week. The Packers and Buccaneers, on the other hand, will give Banks and Dzansi a chance to make their NFL debuts in the Divisional Round of the playoffs.

Minor NFL Transactions: 1/13/24

Today’s transactions and callups for the Saturday night and Sunday games:

Dallas Cowboys

Green Bay Packers

Kansas City Chiefs

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

The three-game limit for practice squad players to be elevated under a single contract is reset in the playoffs, allowing players who weren’t able to be activated anymore by the end of the year to return in the coming weeks.

Packers starting cornerback Jaire Alexander injured his ankle this week in practice, leading to his current questionable status. Long will be elevated to provide some depth in the off chance that Alexander is unable to go versus the Cowboys.

Minor NFL Transactions: 12/30/23

Here are today’s minor transactions and callups for the remainder of the Week 17 matchups:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Indianapolis Colts

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Alualu is set to make his Lions debut after signing earlier this month. Given the injury issues Detroit has faced up front, the 36-year-old has the chance to see playing time through the close of the regular season and into the playoffs. Alualu expressed a desire to continue playing with the Steelers this offseason, but he remained a free agent deep into the year. His tenure in the Motor City could help boost his free agent stock if he wishes to remain in the league in 2024, though.

Minor NFL Transactions: 12/24/23

Sunday’s minor moves around the league:

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

New York Giants

Philadelphia Eagles

Facyson has not played all season, but the Raiders opened his practice window on Dec. 6, making him eligible to return to the field. The 29-year-old played for the Colts last season, but he spent the previous year with the Raiders, starting nine of his 12 games. Facyson is under contract through 2024, but none of his $2.27MM salary is guaranteed. Logging some game action down the stretch could thus be beneficial to his roster security.

Neal has missed the past five games due to an ankle injury, and today’s move means he will be shut down for the remainder of the season. The 2022 first-rounder underwhelmed when on the field, to the point where a switch to guard was suggested. No such move has been given consideration, but Neal will nevertheless face considerable expectations to rebound in 2024. Peart will have the chance to see playing time late in the year after suffering a shoulder injury in Week 5.

Minor NFL Transactions: 12/16/23

Today’s minor transactions and standard gameday elevations for the Sunday slate of games:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Kansas City Chiefs

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

New York Jets

San Francisco 49ers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

Wilkinson returned to practice this week, and will be eligible to return to the lineup on Sunday given today’s activation. The addition of a starter up front will be welcomed by the Cardinals by giving them stability at the left guard spot in particular and by providing an upgrade in protection ahead of a matchup against the stout 49ers defensive front in general. The Cardinals now have four IR activations remaining.

Street was acquired from the Eagles at the trade deadline after he failed to find playing time this season. The 27-year-old has started all five of his appearances in Atlanta, however, racking up 14 tackles (including four for a loss) and one sack. Those numbers will help his free agent market this offseason, but a pectoral injury will sideline him for at least four weeks. If the Falcons fall short of the postseason, therefore, Street will not return in 2023.

McCain was a full-time starter with the Commanders over the past two seasons, but his release led to a one-year Giants agreement. The former fifth-rounder has 87 starts to his name, but he has been unable to carve out a role in New York’s secondary, playing only 19 defensive snaps. McCain has logged a 50% snap share on special teams, however, so his absence in the third phase will be notable if he is claimed off waivers or signed as a free agent by an interested team.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/24/23

Here are Tuesday’s practice squad moves:

Arizona Cardinals

  • Released: CB Quavian White

Carolina Panthers

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Detroit Lions

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

New Orleans Saints

New York Jets

New York Giants

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tennessee Titans

Minor NFL Transactions: 9/12/22

Here are Monday’s minor moves:

Chicago Bears

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Los Angeles Chargers

Seattle Seahawks

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

Robinson has been mostly a rotational defensive end with the Seahawks, but the Syracuse product has five sacks in his two seasons. Robinson suffered a knee injury in Seattle’s preseason finale. He can return after four games, though teams only have eight IR-return slots — way up from the pre-COVID NFL but down from the 2020 and ’21 unlimited IR-return setup — this season.

The Seahawks will be without their primary long snapper, Tyler Ott, on Monday night. Ott is out with a shoulder injury. Tinker has been an NFL snapper since 2013, and the veteran specialist has experience with Seahawks kicker Jason Myers. The duo played together in Jacksonville during the mid-2010s.