Veteran defensive tackle Mike Purcell‘s stay in New England was a short one. After signing with the Patriots only three weeks ago, Purcell’s tenure with the team came to an end today as New England announced his release. 
Purcell began his NFL career as an undrafted free agent out of Wyoming, signing with the 49ers. While not appearing as a rookie and only playing two games in his sophomore campaign, Purcell earned a role in San Francisco, starting eight games over his final two years with the team.
Over the next two years he would shuffle around on different practice squads, eventually landing in the short-lived Alliance of American Football in 2019. Following his performance in the AAF, Purcell signed on with the Broncos. Originally a veteran, depth addition, Purcell ended up starting 37 games while appearing in 65 of a potential 67 contests.
His short reunion with the Patriots, who were one of the several teams who hosted him on their practice squad, was only slightly long than his first stint with the team. He was signed to help make up for the lost production of Christian Barmore as he dealt with his blood clots diagnosis. According to ESPN’s Mike Reiss, Purcell was running behind Davon Godchaux, Jeremiah Pharms, Daniel Ekuale, and Trysten Hill this preseason.
With Purcell off the roster, New England is more likely to test some of the youthful depth pieces on the roster like Armon Watts or Josiah Bronson. Purcell, on the other hand, will be back on the free agent market. At 32 years old, he may be running out of opportunities to remain in the NFL.
There goes the Super Bowl!
Purcell was one of the best pure run stoppers in the league only a few short years ago. He’s pretty limited to that role, but he was so good at it that he earned his way into a lot of snaps that he wouldn’t have otherwise. I would not be surprised to see him end up with Fangio once more in an effort to make a roster. The Eagles have a well set top rotation along the interior, but Purcell was one of the no name Fangio stars that ended up becoming a trusted foundational piece. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him get a chance with his former coach.