Bears Sign Three Including TE Jake Butt & DL Mike Pennel, Cut Two

The Chicago Bears announced Friday that they’ve signed TE Jake Butt, DL Mike Pennel and OL Tyrone Wheatley Jr to contracts. 

Jake Butt

The Bears also waived DL Thomas Schaffer and OT Gunnar Vogel.

Butt, 25, is a former fifth-round of the Broncos back in 2017 out of Michigan. He signed a four-year, $2.7 million rookie contract that included a $300,948 signing bonus.

Denver declined to tender him a contract this offseason, making him an unrestricted free agent. 

In 2020, Butt appeared in five games for the Broncos and caught two passes for five yards and no touchdowns.

Pennel, 30, wound up signing on with the Packers as an undrafted free agent out of Colorado State-Pueblo back in 2014. He was waived towards the end of 2016 and was later claimed off of waivers by the Jets.

The Jets re-signed Pennel to a three-year contract worth up to $12 million in 2018 but New York declined his team option after one season. He signed on with the Patriots but was cut loose in late August.

Pennel worked out for the Colts, Lions, Packers, and Cardinals before signing with Kansas City in October. The Chiefs brought him back on a one-year deal last March. 

In 2020, Pennel appeared in 14 games for the Chiefs and recorded 29 total tackles. Pro Football Focus had him rated as the No. 65 interior defender out of 126 qualifying players. 

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