Denver Broncos: 5 players most impacted by team’s 2020 draft picks
Mike Purcell
Next to wide receiver, defensive line was the other position the Broncos decided to get aggressive with this offseason as the team traded for Jurrell Casey and was then able to get Shelby Harris back in the fold.
Purcell was a late addition to the Broncos’ roster last season due to his familiarity with Vic Fangio and he became a strong fixture of the defense due to his solid play against the run, which was really as good as anyone in the league last season.
But now, Purcell may have to frequently look over his shoulder at the team’s third-round pick, McTelvin Agim.
The Broncos are going to want to mix Agim into the defense as much as possible next season as he offers much more upside than Purcell and is way better in terms of getting after the quarterback.
He had 14.5 sacks in college and is an impressive athlete. Weighing in at over 300 pounds, McTelvin posted a 4.98-second 40-yard dash at the combine. Guys that big are not supposed to be that fast.
It’s quite possible that Agim is going to spend the majority of his rookie season learning the system, similar to how the team used rookie Dre’Mont Jones (also a third-round pick) last season. But he will also be given chances to get in there and show what he can do and in situations where he was on the same line as Casey and Harris, he could be free to make a game-changing play.
Purcell is not a long-term guy for the Broncos in all likelihood and if Agim comes into camp hungry and showing that he has studied and grasped the playbook, Fangio is going to get him in there to show off all the potential that he has.