Patriots Sign Veteran DT in Wake of Christian Barmore Absence

The New England Patriots are adding some firepower in the trenches.

Nov 26, 2023; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos defensive tackle Mike Purcell (98) following a defensive stop in the first quarter against the Cleveland Browns at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports / Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

The New England Patriots have brought in a new name to their front seven amid their new shakeup with Christian Barmore.

According to a release from Equity Sports, the Patriots have agreed to terms on a contract for veteran DT Mike Purcell.

Congratulations to @m_purcell64 on signing with the @Patriots! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/jV264KfAAl

— Equity Sports (@EquitySports) August 1, 2024

The defensive lineman has spent eight years in the NFL playing for both the San Francisco 49ers, and more recently, the Denver Broncos. Purcell is a 6-foot-3, 328-pound interior defensive lineman who enters his age-33 season this coming season, finishing his last year in Denver posting 10 starts, 25 tackles, three pass deflections, and one TFL.

The Patriots have been conducting some considerable work on their defensive line in recent days, with this signing pairing with their decision to extend Davon Godchaux to a fresh two-year contract on Wednesday.

With Barmore expecting to miss a solid chunk of time in preseason and the beginning of next year due to newly discovered blood clots, New England has looked to lock in their depth behind their star defensive lineman in hopes of mitigating the crushing loss. Purcell emerges as a new name to watch, and one with some long-time league experience that could be valuable for a young Patriots squad.

As we navigate the remainder of Patriots training camp, the goal for Purcell will center around generating some staying power on the 53-man roster heading into the season. A defensive line core that consists of strong depth pieces like Daniel Ekuale, Armon Watts, and Sam Roberts could make it an uphill battle for the veteran defender to lock in a spot, but some positive camp and pre-season performances can change that outlook.

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