ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Denver’s ability to stop the run sustained a major blow with the Broncos learned defensive tackle Mike Purcell suffered a season-ending Lisfranc injury in his right foot.
A source told 9NEWS that Purcell will have surgery and is facing a six-month recovery.
Purcell, who grew up in Denver and Highlands Ranch before playing his college ball at Wyoming, took himself out after the fifth defensive play in the Broncos’ 43-16 home loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday. Battling a knee injury the previous three weeks, Purcell was part of a gang tackle on Chiefs’ running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire, who picked up 4 yards to convert a second-and-2 with roughly 10:30 remaining in the first quarter on Kansas City’s opening series. Purcell got up, waved to the bench for a replacement and realized as he jogged off that something was seriously wrong.
An NFL journeyman who was cut 10 times by six teams, Purcell found his home with his hometown Broncos last year. Inactive in three of the first four games last season, Purcell was inserted into the middle of the defensive line in game 5 and together with new inside linebacker Alexander Johnson turned the Broncos from one of the worst run defensive units to one of the best.
In a bit of clutch timing, Purcell signed a contract extension three weeks ago that paid him a $750,000 signing bonus, plus included an injury guarantee that will pay him $2.75 million in roster bonus and salary in 2021.
That’s $3.5 million Purcell doesn’t get if he waits three more weeks.
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