Surprise Chiefs Roster Cut Results in AFC Rival Bolstering Defense

Thus, this iteration of their final roster has more significance than it may have had in the past couple of years. Due to this, the Chiefs wanted to make sure their team was best equipped to compete, and that meant making some tough decisions.

One of those decisions was to cut a veteran from the team who had helped them win two Super Bowls and had been with the team for a total of three years. When the Chiefs opted to go younger and cut Mike Pennel from the team, they could never have expected who would benefit from this decision.

Surprise Signing

The Cincinnati Bengals, of all teams, benefited from the Chiefs letting go of their storied veteran and picked him up right before the season started. He's on the practice squad right now, but the expectation is that he'll soon be elevated to their roster and help out their defense in any way he can.

The Bengals defense could use any help it can get, and even if Pennel isn't the player he once was, in 2024, he had a career high in sacks and helped plug up some otherwise open rushing lanes. With Trey Hendrickson back on the team and Shemar Stewart's contract situation wrapped up, the Bengals' defensive front gets a bit better with Pennel's introduction.

The Chiefs and Bengals won't be facing off this season, so Pennel won't get an opportunity to stick it to his old team, but they do play against all his former teams except the Atlanta Falcons. Pennel has been in the league for a long time, so the hope is that he can bring some of his veteran savviness to their defensive line.

What Does This Mean for the Chiefs?

Any hope the Chiefs may have had of bringing back Pennel to their roster after cutting him is gone, as I don't believe the Bengals would release him after signing him. Their defense loses a veteran who's used to playing in Steve Spagnuolo's defense, and it makes their path to becoming AFC West divisional champs once again even harder.

Ultimately, the Chiefs cut him for a reason, and that was because they wanted to get younger in the trenches. Incoming rookies like Ashton Gillette and Omar Norman-Lott will benefit from his departure, and the Chiefs were thinking about their future when they made that decision.

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