Mike Pennel released after second suspension completed.
Lineman twice suspended in ’16
Green Bay — After two suspensions in one year, the Green Bay Packers have moved on from defensive lineman Mike Pennel by releasing him Monday.
Pennel, 25, missed the first four games of the regular season after violating the NFL’s substance-abuse policy during the off-season. He returned to the active roster in Week 6 and made his debut against the Dallas Cowboys. Pennel played in each of the next eight games before his problems resurfaced.
On Dec. 6, the league announced Pennel would be suspended for another violation of the substanceabuse policy. The suspension cost him the final four games of the regular season and expired last week, at which point the Packers received a one-week roster exemption.
“Working through it, it was nothing that the front office or the team could do,” Pennel said last week. “It was something that I had to work through internally and hopefully I put that all behind me.’’
But the Packers opted not to activate Pennel for the NFC wild-card playoff game against the New York Giants, and the snaps along the defensive line were split among Mike Daniels, Letroy Guion, Kenny Clark and Dean Lowry. When Pennel’s roster exemption expired Monday, general manager Ted Thompson made the decision to release him.
Pennel signed with the Packers as an undrafted free agent in 2014. He appeared in 37 games over the last three seasons and made 40 tackles, including one sack.
Confidence booster: For a player who spent the past week on the injury report because of a knee injury, Damarious Randall had a long way to run.
He didn’t need a touchdown. The Packers were less than one minute away from a 38-13 NFC wildcard win against the Giants at Lambeau Field. Their second-year cornerback kept running down the left sideline.
Randall started in his own end zone after intercepting Giants quarterback Eli Manning’s pass intended for rookie receiver Sterling Shepard. He was 30 yards from the end zone when, without being touched, Randall finally stumbled.
“Maybe I need to do some more sprints after practice,” Randall said Monday, smiling.
It was OK to be lighthearted about the end of Sunday’s game. Randall won’t say he needed a confidence boost, but his solid play against the Giants sure didn’t hurt. It came 17 games into an up-anddown second season.
Randall has had to play through multiple injuries this season. First, there was groin surgery in late October. Then there was a shoulder injury. Then a knee issue. If nothing else, Randall’s sprint down the left sideline Sunday showed he’s feeling better.
“The greatest I’ve felt after a game this whole entire year,” Randall said.
Randall certainly could be showing some gamesmanship with another playoff matchup coming Sunday, but the Packers need him playing at his best when they travel to Dallas. Randall has maintained there’s nothing wrong with his confidence a healthy body won’t fix.
On Sunday, Randall played his best game since intercepting Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson twice last month. Along with his interception Sunday, Randall also defended three passes.
Randall was involved in the Giants’ lone touchdown, a 41-yard pass to receiver Tavarres King. It appeared Randall was expecting help from safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix over the top.
“Just some miscommunication,” Randall said, “but we aren’t going to discuss that.”
If Randall is healthy, he could give the Packers a solid perimeter corner duo with LaDarius Gunter. Fellow cornerback Quinten Rollins remains in concussion protocol, and his availability Sunday is uncertain.
Fourth-down follies: Don’t call him a conservative coach.
Packers coach Mike McCarthy has received that tag from Packers fans for his approach in recent playoff games. The short field goals early in Seattle. The extra point — instead of a two-point conversion — forcing overtime in Arizona.
It’s more conventionalism than conservatism, but no matter. For some, the tag stuck anyway.
McCarthy eschewed conservatism Sunday against the Giants. With a 14-6 lead in a game their defense was controlling, the Packers sat at their own 42-yard line facing fourth and inches with a little more than six minutes left in the third quarter.
Instead of punting, McCarthy called for running back Ty Montgomery to follow fullback Aaron Ripkowski from the I-formation. Montgomery was stuffed for a 1-yard loss.
The Packers gave up a 41-yard touchdown pass two plays later that trimmed their lead to 1413.
“As a play caller, as a head coach,” McCarthy said, “you’re sick to yourself. You feel totally responsible for the decision and the execution of the play and so forth, and then give up the play on the second down. But there’s still a lot of football left.”
There was a lot of football left.
The Packers responded with a four-play, 63-yard touchdown drive that ended with a 30-yard pass from Aaron Rodgers to Randall Cobb, one of three scores between the duo Sunday.
The Giants did not score again.
It will be interesting to see what McCarthy does the next time around.
“We think from the other side of the fence,” McCarthy said. “It’s about creating opportunities for your team. Obviously, you have confidence in your players to convert the third and fourth down.
“I had two calls there. Frankly, I wish I would have went with the other one. Not saying that that would have worked either. It still comes down to execution.”
Payday: The Packers increased the base salary for practice squad tight end Beau Sandland, who joined the team on Nov. 11.
Sandland, a rookie from Montana State, renegotiated his contract on Dec. 26 after receiving interest from other teams, according to a source.
His base salary jumped from the standard practice squad rate of $117,300 per year to $170,000 per year. This includes five playoff weeks at $10,000 per week.