3 Chiefs Who Will Be Replaced on Day 2 of the NFL Draft
3. Mike Pennel, DT
The Chiefs are in the market for another defensive tackle to play alongside Chris Jones for years to come. With prospects like Jer'Zhan Newton, Braden Fiske, and Maason Smith still up for grabs, Kansas City might be tempted to use one of the available names to replace Mike Pennel.
Pennel's 2023 campaign was interesting, to say the least. After signing with the Chiefs' practice squad in October, the 32-year-old defender only played 45 snaps across three appearances. His role grew in the playoffs as he started in three of four games, generating 12 tackles — including six at Super Bowl LVIII.
As a result of his championship efforts, the Chiefs re-signed Pennell to a one-year contract this offseason. If he can bring that same intensity that he brought in the Super Bowl throughout the 2024 campaign, Kansas City will be thrilled. Unfortunately, an encore isn't guaranteed to happen.
As solid as he looked in February, let's not forget that Pennel turns 33 next month. He looks like he still has some juice left in the tank, but we also know that Father Time is undefeated and a drop-off could happen in any given year. There's also the possibility that, at his age, he could ride off into the sunset once his contract expires.
If the Chiefs want to avoid Pennel's potential regression or departure negatively impacting them, it makes sense to look for a younger option to challenge him in training camp.
More Kansas City Chiefs News:
feed