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Denver Broncos Defensive Tackle Mike Purcell

Perhaps no player has been criticized more on the defense than nose tackle Mike Purcell.

Purcell suffered a Lisfranc injury in October of 2020 and missed the rest of the season. He came back in 2021 and had 15 fewer tackles than he did in 2019–his first year with the team. In 2019, Purcell had eight tackles for loss. In 2021, he had a grand total of one.

He just was not the same type of player post-injury and while that is to be expected with a foot injury like that, it still is very disappointing for a player who many had high hopes for.

The Broncos signed D.J. Jones who will override him as a starter on the defensive line, but there will be times in which Purcell will get a chance to make an impact. He’ll have to do so in order to remain with the team in 2023.

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While he won’t play as much with Jones on the roster, he’ll have a chance to compete with other players. They might not push him for the No. 2 spot on the defensive tackle spot, but I hope that the competition ignites a spark in Purcell and I hope for a healthy 2022 season for him.