The Jets have claimed defensive tackle Mike Pennel off waivers, according to ESPN’s Field Yates (Twitter link). Pennel’s status had been in limbo since the Packers cut him Jan. 9.
Pennel, 25, is coming off a season in which he served a pair of four-game suspensions for substance abuse violations. The second ban was supposed to be for 10 games, but Pennel filed suit against both the NFL and the NFLPA, claiming that the appeals board was only going to consist of two neutral arbitrators (as opposed to the standard three to five). Pennel then dropped his lawsuit after the sides came to an agreement to presumably reduce the suspension from 10 games to four.
After the second four-game penalty expired, the Packers moved on from Pennel. Between suspensions, Pennel appeared in eight games, played in 103 defensive snaps and totaled seven tackles. Previously, the 2014 undrafted free agent amassed 29 appearances in Green Bay during his first two seasons. In his best year, 2015, he established career highs in games (16), starts (five), tackles (24) and sacks (one).
Pennel will now join a Jets team with three high-profile defensive linemen – Leonard Williams, Muhammad Wilkerson and Sheldon Richardson – as well as the less heralded Steve McLendon.
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