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The Chicago Bears are giving veteran defensive tackle Mike Pennel a second look.
Pennel, who turned 31 in May, signed a one-year deal with the Bears last June before landing on injured reserve with a groin injury shortly after. Chicago released him a few months later with an injury settlement.
The veteran defensive lineman spent last season with the Atlanta Falcons, where he played in 10 games. He finished with 23 tackles (13 solo), four pressures and four hurries in 248 total snaps, per Pro Football Focus.
In order to make room for Pennel, the team announced it released veteran linebacker Jeremiah Attaochu.
Pennel will play a different role than Attaochu, as he’s a nose tackle, while Attaochu is an edge rusher. With Justin Jones and Angelo Blackson occupying the top two slots on the depth chart on the right side at defensive tackle for the Bears, and Khyiris Tonga, LaCale London and Micah Dew-Treadway listed in the left DT slots, Pennel should add some nice depth.
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Mike Pennel: Background & Stats
Pennel signed with the Green Bay Packers as an undrafted free agent in 2014, playing for them for three seasons (2014-16). He also spent time with the New York Jets (2017-18), Kansas City Chiefs (2019-20) and Falcons (2021).
The eight-year veteran has played in 101 games over his career, starting 16. Solid against the run, Pennel has amassed 176 total tackles (eight for loss), a forced fumble, 13 QB hits and 2.0 sacks over his career, per Pro Football Reference.
Pennel has started just one game since the 2018 season (for Kansas City in 2020), and he will have a reserve role if he makes the 53-man roster. He played in 37% of the Falcons’ defensive snaps last year, which was a career-high.
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Attaochu Had Just Expressed Excitement About New Defensive Scheme
“I’m definitely excited about this scheme,” Attaochu told the media on June 8. “I definitely fit in very well.”
Less than a week later, he’s looking for a new team and a new scheme.
Attaochu’s lone season with the Bears was a disappointing one. After signing a two-year deal worth more than $5.5 million, he played in just five games before tearing his pectoral muscle, which forced him to miss the rest of the season.
“Definitely was disappointing,” Attaochu said about his 2021 injury. “I felt like I had a great offseason, and I felt like I was going to have a good year. … It was definitely tough. I just had to keep my mind in it and stay around the building and try to encourage and motivate. The season didn’t go the way a lot of people wanted it to go last year, so I couldn’t just dwell on my misfortune. I had to be around the coaches and support them that way.”
By releasing Attaochu, the Bears will save $2.45 million in cap space and carry $800,000 in dead cap space over to 2023, per cap expert Brad Spielberger.
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