Mike Pennel, defensive line
FOX Sports Wisconsin's Paul Imig gives an in-depth statistical analysis and film study of every Packers player in his annual offseason checkup. You can find every report here.
Season stats (playoffs included): 15 games, zero starts (181 snaps; 14.6 percent of total defensive snaps), nine tackles, two missed tackles, zero sacks, four quarterback hurries, two QB hits, zero forced fumbles, zero passes defensed, four stops (tackles that resulted in offensive failure)
ProFootballFocus.com season rating: Minus-3.8 (ranked No. 16 out of 24 Packers defensive players)
Best game: Week 7 win over Carolina (played 24 of 71 snaps); three tackles, one quarterback hurry, zero missed tackles, two stops; 1.5 PFF rating
Worst game: Week 4 win at Chicago (played 22 of 80 snaps); two tackles, zero quarterback hits or hurries, one stop; minus-1.3 PFF rating
Expectations at the start of training camp: Low
Expectations were ... Met
Looking live: Mike Pennel was one of the original group of 12 undrafted players that the Packers signed. He bounced around in college, finishing up at Colorado State-Pueblo after beginning at Scottsdale Community College and then spending a year at Arizona State. Pennel was projected before the draft to be a player whose then-332-pound frame should allow him to stuff the run in the NFL right away, if he could make a 53-man roster.
Pennel made his first significant impression on the Packers' coaching staff during the Family Night practice. "I thought Pennel showed up, particularly in the move-the-ball period," McCarthy said that night. "I know he was free (for a) clean tackle on the back. He definitely flashed tonight."
On Day 10 of practice (at a time when Letroy Guion was still not cleared to practice), Pennel was actually given the first snap at nose tackle with the starting defense to begin a drill. B.J. Raji then came in for him, but it was a noteworthy step of progress in the right direction for Pennel that the coaching staff wanted to give him a quick look in that situation. A day later, Pennel continued to make coaches notice him when he beat JC Tretter in a one-on-one pass-rush/block period.
Pennel picked up a sack in Green Bay's second preseason game and was beginning to emerge from the "bubble players" list as one who might break through and be part of the 53-man roster.
Raji was a big fan of Pennel, describing the rookie as having "overpowering strength." That led to Raji giving Pennel the nickname of Baby Haynesworth, as in Albert Haynesworth, a two-time first-team All-Pro in 2007 and 2008. Raji was also impressed that Pennel always seemed to take any advice given to him and try to apply it.
Defensive line coach Mike Trgovac commented during training camp that Pennel was "an effort player" and "a big guy with some movement." Pennel's mother, however, wasn't usually as complimentary as his teammates and coaches were. "She's always giving me the harshest feedback possible of how I played," Pennel said on Aug. 19, 2014. "'You left this many plays out there, you could've done more.' I love talking to my mom."
Upon further review: Pennel made the 53-man active roster, but he wasn't part of the defensive game plan at all early in the season. He was not on the gameday roster in Weeks 1 or 3, despite being healthy. Pennel was active for Week 2, but he did not get on the field at all.
There was a stretch between Weeks 4-5 and Weeks 7-10 in which Pennel was on the field for at least 21 defensive snaps per game. He definitely showed his ability to eat up space in the middle, giving his best performance of the season in the Week 7 game against Carolina by doing his job in stopping the run.
During the Week 6 game in Miami, Pennel made a nice pass-rush move to get his hands on Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill. However, Tannehill slipped out of Pennel's grasp and completed a long pass downfield to Mike Wallace. Pennel flashed his pass-rush skills on a few occasions throughout the season, being credited with four quarterback hurries in 85 opportunities.
Datone Jones' recovery from an ankle injury wasn't the only reason Pennel's snaps dipped significantly beginning in Week 12, but it didn't help the undrafted player once the former first-round pick was available again.
Pennel was given seven snaps in the must-win Week 17 game against Detroit and six snaps in the NFC divisional round game against Dallas. However, Pennel wasn't used by Dom Capers at all during the NFC championship game in Seattle.
Overall 2014 grade: C-minus
Status for 2015: Sixty percent chance of being on the active roster to begin next season. Pennel will be fighting the uphill battle that many young, undrafted players do in Green Bay. Ted Thompson likes to keep his drafted players, even when in certain cases they've been outplayed by their undrafted counterparts. See: Jumal Rolle vs. Demetri Goodson at cornerback in 2014. There are plenty of questions yet to be answered about the makeup of the Packers' defensive line once the 2015 season begins. Pennel has earned himself an extended look for a chance to continue his career in Green Bay, but it could depend on the contract status of Raji and Guion. If both veterans are re-signed, is there room for another wide body in the defensive trenches? Pennel will definitely have a shot at being back for Year 2, but he'll need to perform well in training camp and show signs of improvement from what he accomplished as a rookie.
Next: Outside linebacker Julius Peppers
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