Bengals Elevate Veteran From Practice Squad to Bolster Defense Ahead of Matchup With Browns

The Bengals elevated defensive tackle Mike Pennel from the practice squad. He'll be active for Sunday's season opener against the Cleveland Browns.

Pennel, 34, signed with the team earlier this week. He'll make his Bengals debut on Sunday.

"I was looking for the best opportunity with a playoff ready team and thank god Cincinnati came up," Pennel said after signing with the Bengals. "Anytime you can play for somebody that has a genuine chance in the playoffs, and even further than that, it's not hard to get up and do it when you've got that other opportunity."

Burrow Pleased

The Bengals have signed Pennel, Noah Fant and Dalton Risner over the past six weeks. It's safe to say Joe Burrow is happy with all three additions.

"I think those three signings will help us," Burrow said on Wednesday. "That is, like you said, rare to be able to get players of that caliber this late in the process. And obviously, you'd like to be able to get them earlier so they can be integrated in the scheme, in the team. But they're all pros. We're pros, and at the end of the day, when you're out there on Sundays, you got to be able to play well and execute the play that is called, and those guys are all veterans know how to play football, and it's really been seamless so far."

Proven Vet

Pennel won two Super Bowls with the Chiefs and has spent time with the Packers, Jets, Falcons and Bears.

Current Bengals defensive line coach Jerry Montgomery was with Pennel in Green Bay for two seasons (2015-16). The Bengals are giving themselves a proven nose tackle behind Slaton.

Pennel had three sacks and 25 tackles in 17 games for the Chiefs last season. He has five career sacks and 231 tackles in 138 career games.