Culture

Look, I don’t want to make too big of a deal about an off-season waiver claim, but in some ways it’s a little perplexing.

The Jets claimed Mike Pennel off waivers today.

Pennel, a defensive lineman, played the last three years for the Green Bay Packers, after entering the NFL as an undrafted out of Colorado State-Pueblo.

He has great size at 6-4, 340, carries it well, and can play end or nose tackle in a 3-4 defense.

There is no question he has ability, but look at his track record. This past season he was suspended twice – four games each time – the first four games of the regular season and the last four – for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy.

But that isn’t it when it comes to red flags.

He started his college career at Scottsdale Junior College, and then transferred to nearby Arizona State. After appearing in five games, he was suspended twice by coach Todd Graham, the second time for a Twitter rant. After the second suspension, he never played again for the Sun Devils.

He finished up his career at Division II – CSU-Pueblo.

So we are talking about a player who was suspended twice in college and twice by the NFL?

Why go there?

We are talking about a team coming off terrible season, including six blowout losses. They have had some dysfunction that contributed to their poor season. Brandon Marshall and Sheldon Richardson having issues. Darrelle Revis making $17 million last season, and playing more like a $700,000 player, which pissed off many in the locker room and on the coaching staff. Blown assignments galore in pass coverage. The Jets were a mess last year. They need to get their collective acts together.

So the first waiver wire claim you make, after the Super Bowl, is claiming Pennel?

The Jets are in dire need of a culture change. Does this help them do that?

This move seems a little desperate.

Kind of like claiming tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins off waivers last season, a player who has had two DUI’s.

Some programs, when they are struggling, often start to roll the dice on troubled, but talented players, to help improve their roster.

I don’t think it’s a good idea.

Look at the New England Patriots, the team that just won the Super Bowl, and look at the kind of players they have up and down their roster- all core values guys, perhaps sans wide receiver Michael Floyd, a receiver they claimed late in the year from the Arizona Cardinals. He had a couple of DUI’s. He was inactive for the Super Bowl.

But the Patriots are an established program with a great culture. They can add a somewhat risky player now and then and their locker room and coaches can handle it.

But when you are trying to turn things around, and you are coming off a tumultuous season, why go there right now?

Mr. Coffee needs to think long and hard about culture when he makes moves.

This isn’t fantasy football.

February 6, 2017

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