The Bengals' senior man could very well suddenly be Mike Pennel, the massive former Chiefs nose tackle who logged six tackles in the last Super Bowl they won.
The 6-4, 330-pound Pennel signed to the Bengals' 16th and final practice squad slot Monday, but if he gets elevated for a game it's going to be the 139th of his career as he begins his 11th NFL season.
Pennel, 34, initially looked to make the Chiefs' roster last week after playing in four of their Super Bowls and in the last two. But when they opted for a pass rusher later in the week, he went looking for a team that had Joe Burrow at quarterback. Even if it meant the practice squad.
Many teams could use a vet run-stopper at this point.
"But every team is not right on that brink," Pennel said. "Cincinnati is one of those teams every year they've got a chance for a Super Bowl with Nine at quarterback. That was a big part of it.
"They have premier players at each position. The division they're in is hard playoff football most of the time. Just an edge to come play good football for a good team."
Pennel played for Bengals defensive line coach Jerry Montgomery way back in his second and third seasons in Green Bay and crossed paths with right guard Lucas Patrick in Chicago three years ago.
"When you play long enough, you know a little bit of everything," Pennel said.
The Bengals open Sunday in Cleveland (1 p.m.-Cincinnati's FOX19) against Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski's run game that has given them problems. Since Stefanski took over in 2020, the Browns are 6-4 with three 200-yard rush games and three more that went for at least 148.
"His stature, his reputation. The fact he wanted to be here. Those are important to us and he brings a physical presence and obviously he can still do it at his age, which is great," said Bengals defensive coordinator Al Golden of the Pennel add.
"He's probably 320 pounds and he's got great length. He just understands the game. Can make the game small. We're going to work really hard here to get him up to speed with the playbook and see where he's at by the end of the week."
Footnote: One of Pennel's 25 career starts came last year against the Bengals in KC when the Chiefs won at the gun …
SLANTS AND SCREENS
But Golden doesn't have to see what cornerback Dax Hill can do this week. Their best cornerback when he went down with a torn ACL last October, Hill has been judged good to go as they continue to monitor other starters in defensive tackle B.J. Hill (foot) and cornerback DJ Tuner II (unknown).
Turner practiced Monday after pretty much being out before the Aug. 18 game in Washington D.C., the last preseason game the Bengals' No. 1 defense played.
In practice, Turner and Cam Taylor-Britt had started on the outside with Hill in the slot. Against the Commanders, Hill and Taylor-Britt started on the outside.
Although Turner said after practice Monday that he was ready to go, Golden wasn't ready to make a call he'd probably give to head coach Zac Taylor to make public, anyway. Golden is bullish on Hill and says you could find him anywhere in Cleveland.
"He's ahead of (B.J. Hill and Turner). He's taken so many reps," Golden said. "He worked hard through last Thursday, so I think the break is going to be really productive for him and I'm excited about him as a player. I think he's a smart player. I think he'll play inside or outside, and we'll see where it goes this week." …
B.J. Hill and All-Pro edge Trey Hendrickson returned to practice last week, so there's some uncertainty just how much they can give them in Cleveland. Golden says a rotation of four tackles and four edgers is the usual.
"As the game goes, just do a great job rotating guys through there as best as we can. Situations call for that," Taylor said. "Sometimes, you get longer breaks between drives. I think to put a pitch count on it is unfair to them. Early in the game, if they feel good, just let them keep going. I know those guys are in great shape, it's not like they haven't been working out." …
Taylor isn't making a call on right guard, although vet Lucas Patrick has been consistently listed ahead of rookie Jalen Rivers. It seems, though, that seven-year vet guard Dalton Risner is picking up things fast in just two practices. The thing is, Taylor says, Risner hasn't played since a January Wild Card loss.
"I think the playbook part, it maybe sounds different but it's all stuff he's done before. It's just, 'OK, this word means that.' I think he's done a good job from just talking to him today," Taylor said. "He's done a great job just staring at the playbook all weekend and trying to consume as best he can, getting in here early. It sounds like it makes sense to him. He's played a lot of football, so he's heard it a lot of different ways.
"Now it's just putting the pads back on. The biggest thing for me is putting the pads back on and feeling the contact from people, which he did today, really for the first time. We'll get more work in that on Wednesday and Thursday."
Patrick, who has been here the entire offseason, is looking to make his third straight Opening Day start for as many teams, and sixth overall …
