Tag: Mike Purcell

10 players who might play their last game for Broncos on Sunday

The Broncos will need to get out of a salary cap hole in 2024, and these players might become cap casualties.

The Denver Broncos will wrap up their 2023 NFL season on Sunday when they face the Las Vegas Raiders on the road in Week 18.

Once the final whistle blows, the offseason will begin immediately for the Broncos, and coach Sean Payton and general manager George Paton are poised to have a busy spring with many challenging decisions.

Denver is projected to be $18 million over the salary cap in 2024, according to an estimate from OverTheCap.com, and that’s before potentially releasing quarterback Russell Wilson and creating an even bigger cap mess.

The Broncos will have to dig out of a salary cap hole this offseason, forcing the team to make some tough decisions. To become cap-compliant, Denver will likely have to part ways with multiple players either through cuts, trades or free agency.

Ahead of the team’s season finale, here’s a quick look at ten players who could play* their final game for the Broncos on Sunday. (*We’ve also included a few injured/benched players who could depart in 2024.)

Broncos made 6 roster moves on Thursday

After setting an initial 53-man roster on Tuesday, the Broncos made six more roster moves on Thursday.

After setting an initial 53-man roster on Tuesday, the Denver Broncos continued making roster moves on Thursday.

First, the team placed cornerback K’Waun Williams (ankle), defensive back P.J. Locke (leg) and offensive tackle Alex Palczewski (hand) on injured reserve. Those three players will now have to sit out at least the first four games of the 2023 season before being eligible to return to the active roster.

After placing those three players on IR, the Broncos re-signed defensive lineman Mike Purcell, cornerback Fabian Moreau and offensive lineman Quinn Bailey. Because they are veterans, those players did not have to pass through waivers after being cut by Denver on Tuesday.

See a recap of the team’s Thursday roster moves below.

Broncos DL Mike Purcell restructures contract

Broncos defensive lineman Mike Purcell has restructured his contract, likely assuring he will make the 53-man roster.

The Denver Broncos have restructured veteran defensive lineman’s Mike Purcell’s contract, according to a report from KUSA-TV’s Mike Klis.

Before the restructure, Purcell was scheduled to earn $3.5 million in 2023. That has been reduced to $2.25 million, according to Klis, but Purcell can earn back $1.25 million through incentives.

This will give Denver some salary cap relief and Purcell will have an opportunity to eventually earn the same amount through incentives. After giving the team some cap relief, Purcell now seems to be a lock to make the 53-man roster.

Purcell has played for the Broncos since 2019, totaling 141 tackles (12 behind the line), nine quarterback hits, 2.5 sacks, two fumble recoveries and one pass breakup in 49 games (27 starts).

Purcell is listed as the No. 2 nose tackle on the team’s depth chart behind D.J. Jones. There might be situations this year where the Broncos have both Jones and Purcell on the field at the same time with Jones lining up as a defensive end and Purcell in the middle.

Purcell is entering the final year of his deal that runs through the 2023 season. He is scheduled to become a 33-year-old unrestricted free agent next May.

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Broncos DL Mike Purcell activated from NFI list

Broncos defensive lineman Mike Purcell passed his physical and was removed from the non-football injury list on Wednesday.

Denver Broncos veteran defensive lineman Mike Purcell was activated from the non-football-injury list on Wednesday after passing his physical. Purcell is on the 90-man offseason roster and is now cleared for the 2023 season.

Purcell, 32, has spent four years with the Broncos, totaling 141 tackles (12 behind the line), nine quarterback hits, 2.5 sacks, two fumble recoveries and one pass breakup in 49 games (27 starts).

While Purcell was sidelined, D.J. Jones was listed as the starting defensive end on the depth chart with Tyler Lancaster and PJ Mustipher listed as depth options behind Jones.

It remains to be seen if the Broncos will use Purcell as a rotational nose tackle this season, or if Jones will move to defensive end, opening up a starting spot for Purcell on the inside. Either way, Purcell figures to be a key part of the team’s defensive line this fall.

Denver will finalize a 53-man roster on Tuesday, Aug. 29.

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Broncos place 2 players on PUP list, but not Javonte Williams

The Broncos placed OLB Baron Browning and WR Kendall Hinton on the PUP list, but RB Javonte Williams avoided that designation.

The good news continues for Denver Broncos running back Javonte Williams.

The Broncos said this spring that they expected Williams (knee) to be ready for the start of training camp, but it was unclear if the team was being overly optimistic. That expectation became more realistic after Williams was able to participate in organized team activities (on a limited basis) in May.

Now, with training camp set to begin this week, Denver has announced that two players will be placed on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list, and Williams is not among them.

Broncos wide receiver Tim Patrick (knee), outside linebacker Aaron Patrick (knee), and rookie safety JL Skinner (pectoral) also avoided the PUP list. Denver has cleared all four players for the start of camp.

The Broncos are placing outside linebacker Baron Browning (knee) and wide receiver Kendall Hinton (undisclosed) on the PUP list, the team announced. Denver also placed wide receiver KJ Hamler (pectoral) and defensive lineman Mike Purcell (offseason surgery) on the non-football injury (NFI) list.

Players on the PUP and NFI lists still count against the 90-man offseason roster, but they are not eligible to practice. Players can be activated from the PUP or NFI list at any point during training camp.

Here’s a quick recap of the team’s injury-related moves on Sunday.

Broncos place WR KJ Hamler, DL Mike Purcell on NFI list to begin camp

Broncos WR KJ Hamler and DL Mike Purcell will begin training camp on the non-football injury list.

The Denver Broncos will begin training camp with two players on the non-football injury list.

The Broncos have placed wide receiver KJ Hamler and defensive lineman Mik Purcell on the NFI list, according to the league’s transaction wire. Field Yates of ESPN first reported the Hamler news and KUSA-TV’s Mike Klis first reported the Purcell news.

Hamler, 24, suffered a partially-torn pectoral muscle this spring while working out away from the team’s facility. He had hoped to be ready for the start of training camp but that won’t be the case.

Purcell, 32, underwent a “minor” surgery this offseason. It’s unclear how long the defensive lineman will be sidelined.

Players on the NFI list still count against the 90-man offseason roster but are not able to practice after suffering an injury unrelated to an NFL practice or game (or team-organized workout). Hamler and Purcell can be activated from the NFI list to the active roster at any time during training camp.

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Broncos injuries: 2 players recovering from ‘minor’ surgeries

Broncos defensive linemen D.J. Jones and Mike Purcell are recovering from ‘minor’ offseason surgeries, according to 9News.

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Denver Broncos running back Javonte Williams (knee) being limited at practice to begin organized team activities is a very positive development for the team.

On the other side of the ball, the news isn’t as good as defensive linemen Mike Purcell and D.J. Jones are both recovering from “minor offseason surgeries,” according to a report from KUSA-TV’s Mike Klis.

It’s not clear what surgeries Purcell and Jones had done, but Purcell suffered elbow and ankle injuries last year and Jones had shoulder and knee injuries in 2022.

Elsewhere on the injury front, coach Sean Payton said wide receiver Jerry Jeudy “banged his thigh” at Thursday’s practice and will be fine.

Meanwhile, cornerback Pat Surtain, safety JL Skinner, outside linebackers Christopher Allen and Ray Wilborn and wide receivers Tim Patrick and KJ Hamler worked on the side during Thursday’s practice. Special teams ace Aaron Patrick (recovering from torn ACL) is also sidelined.

Overall, it’s mostly good news on the injury front for Denver. Recovering players seem to be coming along well and the new injuries seem to be mostly minor. The team will hope that trend continues this season.

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Broncos offseason roster: No. 98, DL Mike Purcell

Mike Purcell joined the Broncos in 2019 after playing spring football in the AAF. He’s now entering his fifth season in Denver.

Broncos Wire’s 90-man offseason roster series continues today with a look at eighth-year defensive lineman Mike Purcell, No. 98. 

Before the Broncos: Purcell (6-3, 328 pounds) was born and raised in Highlands Ranch, Colorado and played college football at Wyoming. After going undrafted in 2013, he signed with the San Francisco 49ers. 

Purcell played the first two years of his career under defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, serving mostly as a rotational defensive lineman. After three years with the 49ers, Purcell bounced between the Los Angeles Rams, Chicago Bears, Carolina Panthers, New England Patriots and Kansas City Chiefs from 2017-2018.

After falling out of the NFL, Purcell played a season in the Alliance of American Football with the Salt Lake Stallions in 2019. After playing in the AAF, Purcell finally got another chance in the NFL after previously being cut nine times by six different teams.

Broncos tenure: In 2019, Denver decided to sign Purcell primarily as a camp body for training camp. Fangio was serving as the team’s head coach at the time and he later recalled telling then-general manager John Elway, “Be careful. You might like him.” Fangio was right. 

Purcell won a spot on the Broncos’ 53-man roster that summer and he never looked back. Over the last four years, the nose tackle has appeared in 49 games, earning 27 starts. In those contests, Purcell has totaled 141 tackles (12 behind the line), nine quarterback hits and 2.5 sacks.

Chances to make the 53-man roster: Purcell, 32, should be safe unless Denver wants to create more salary cap space. The Broncos could cut the veteran with a “dead money” cap hit of just $286,765 while creating an additional $3.5 million in cap space. If Purcell is cut this summer, it would be as a cap causality, not because of his ability as a player. 

Depending on if Denver plans to use D.J. Jones primarily as a defensive end or nose tackle this year, Purcell might even be a candidate to start in Week 1. He still has gas left in the tank. It will just come down to the money.

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5 Broncos players who could become cap casualties this offseason

The Broncos could save more than $32 million in salary cap space if they cut these five players this offseason.

As the Denver Broncos approach NFL free agency, the team has around $13.6 million in projected salary cap space, which isn’t much to work with. Broncos general manager George Paton could create additional cap space by restructuring select contracts and by cutting select players with big cap hits.

An example of a cap casualty in the NFL is when a team parts ways with a player simply to create more salary cap space. It doesn’t mean the player isn’t talented — in fact, some of the game’s top players have been cap casualties when clubs begin rebuilding.

Here’s a quick look at five players who could become cap casualties for Denver this offseason. The resulting “dead money” cap hits and net cap savings are provided courtesy of OverTheCap.com.

2 Broncos players were fined for penalties in Week 12

Broncos DB Delarrin Turner-Yell ($4,379) and DL Mike Purcell ($11,139) were fined for penalties against the Panthers last week.

Two Denver Broncos defenders have been fined by the NFL for penalties committed during a 23-10 loss to the Carolina Panthers in Week 12.

Broncos rookie safety Delarrin Turner-Yell was fined $4,379 for a facemask penalty, according to a report from KUSA-TV’s Mike Klis. Turner-Yell did not record any defensive stats in the game, but he did recover a fumbled punt on special teams.

Elsewhere on defense, Denver nose tackle Mike Purcell was fined $11,139 for an unnecessary roughness penalty, according to Klis. Shortly after that penalty, Purcell was spotted yelling at Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson on the sideline. Purcell finished the game with two tackles.

Penalties have become an alarming trend for Denver. Through 11 games this season, the Broncos have been penalized an NFL-high 96 times for 740 yards lost, which is also a league-high total.

Denver coach Nathaniel Hackett is leading an undisciplined squad that has been frequently penalized by officials and hit in their wallets by the NFL this season.

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