Training Camp 2021: Previewing the Broncos defensive tackles

The Denver Broncos are trying to get back to relevancy – and the postseason – in 2021. They turned in a down 2020 season, going 5-11 under Vic Fangio, but the staff returns intact to give it one more try. Fangio is entering his third year as the Broncos head coach, and it’s win (a lot of games) or go home. The Broncos changed things up in a big way this offseason by moving on from former general manager John Elway and hiring new GM George Paton.

This is the first year under the guidance of Paton, and the team has done a good job of adding quality players via free agency and the NFL Draft. However, there are questions that need answers before the start of the regular season. In this series at DenverFan.com, we will go through each position group searching for those answers.

This is the latest part in our Training Camp Preview. Today, we’ll take a deep dive into the defensive tackle position:

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Starters: Mike Purcell (NT)

The Broncos defense was instantly changed when Mike Purcell was inserted into the starting lineup back in 2019. Broncos head coach Vic Fangio needed a true nose tackle but began that season with Shelby Harris – a defensive end – playing in the middle. That didn’t work out, so Purcell was started playing more around Week 6 and thrived as the starter at nose tackle.

He was such a find by the Broncos. Purcell was cut 10 times by six different teams before he was claimed off waivers by Elway and the Broncos. He made 13 appearances with Denver in 2019, finishing as PFF’s highest-graded interior defender against the run among 121 qualifiers.

Purcell was taken care of by the Broncos – and for good reason. Last October, Purcell received a three-year, $14.8 million contract extension. It was based off what he did for the team in 2019 and how he looked at the beginning of the 2020 season. Simply put, Purcell is a key cog for the Fangio defense and was rewarded as such.

A Lisfranc injury shortened Purcell’s 2020 season, and he’s been on the road to recovery ever since. During mandatory minicamp earlier this year, Fangio explained how the team could rotate players up front and he revealed that Purcell would likely return for the start of training camp.

“Yeah, we’d like to feel that way. I think [DL] Shamar [Stephen] has been a good pick up; we got [NT] Mike [Purcell], [DE] Shelby [Harris]. We think Mike and Shelby will be full go once we get back to camp. ‘Sosa’ (DL McTelvin Agim) has looked better and hopefully he’ll continue that. [DE] Dre’Mont [Jones], [DL] Jonathan Harris is back after a year on the shelf; [DL] DeShawn [Williams] is back, and we’re looking for the other guys to show us something, to hopefully punch a ticket to join that group.” Fangio said.

Purcell is strong at the point of attack and can eat up blockers. He’s difficult to move and forces an offensive line to double team him, and this frees up the players around him – but most importantly the linebackers behind him. Purcell should be back at the start of camp, even though I expect the team to ease him back into action. By the time the regular season gets here, Purcell should be 100 percent ready to go. That’s great news for the Broncos – and bad news for their opponents.

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Reserves: McTelvin Agim (DL), DeShawn Williams (DL), Shamar Stephen (DL), Isaiah Mack (DL)

The Broncos have a versatile group of reserve players behind Harris and Jones. On their official depth chart, most players are listed as “DL” for defensive linemen rather than “DE” for defensive end or “DT” for defensive tackle. I’ve picked through those players who can play both positions and chosen which I’d like to write up in this article featuring the defensive ends. When I write up defensive tackles later in the week, I’ll include the other “DL” players from the official roster.

McTelvin Agim is basically a Tasmanian Devil in the middle of the defensive line. The Broncos picked him up out of Arkansas as a third-round pick in the 2020 NFL draft. Those outside of the scouting community (media members and many fans) may not have known who Agim was, but NFL scouts knew this guy could be a sleeper in his class. I watched Agim during the week of practice for the East-West Shrine Game and came away impressed, so I was happy when the Broncos picked Agim up before other teams.

Agim has multiple moves to get after the passer. Yes, he’s huge measuring in at 309 pounds and he can stuff the run – but that’s not all. By my count in watching his college tape and scouting him in person, Agim has at least six moves to get to the quarterback. That’s an unusually high amount of moves for a college prospect, especially one who plays in the middle of the defensive line. Not only does Agim have the moves, but he knows how to stack the moves efficiently as he penetrates the offensive line.

He can line up at defensive end and could backup Shelby Harris. However, I know Agim can thrive inside at nose tackle if need be. His game is different from Purcell’s – he’s not as strong against the run. However, Agim can get interior pressure – something that makes every quarterback look mortal – more regularly than Purcell can. Agim is a fine developmental prospect who should play more than the 141 snaps he played as a rookie in 2020.

DeShawn Williams has been working diligently to make it – and stay – in the league, and he’s flashed when given the opportunity. Undrafted out of Clemson back in 2015, Williams has had three stops with the Broncos and multiple stops around the NFL. I even received a call from a CFL executive about whether I thought Williams would be available to go to Canada to play football. I felt Williams could make it in the NFL, and last year he did get the chance to showcase what he can do.

Williams played 436 snaps on defense last year, starting 11 games in place of Purcell. He finished the season with 37 tackles, four tackles for loss, six quarterback hits and 2.0 sacks on the year. He’s a more compact defensive tackle who has a low center of gravity. This helps him dig in the trenches and makes him tough to move. Williams is a valuable reserve for the Broncos and can be called upon to be a solid starter in case Purcell gets banged up again.

Shamar Stephen was a seventh-round pick of the Minnesota Vikings back in the 2014 NFL draft, so obviously Paton is familiar with his game from his time up North. He’s played all but one season with the Vikings but did start for Seattle back in 2018. Over the last three seasons, Stephen has started most every game he’s played in and brings that experience to the rotation for the Broncos.

His game is about strength at the point of attack. He’s a run-stuffer who can take on two blockers at once. His size (310 pounds) makes him tough to move off his spot, but Stephen offers little in terms of pressure on the quarterback. He’s been a starter for a few years, but I feel Stephen is best used as a rotational player for the Broncos where he can stay fresh.

Isaiah Mack was a player the Broncos picked up in free agency this year. Undrafted out of UT-Chattanooga in 2019, Mack is now on his third team (Titans, Patriots). He started one game for the Titans as a rookie but didn’t do much. Mack is a developmental player worth taking a chance on. He stays low and gets off the line of scrimmage quickly and cleanly. This increases the potential for him to be disruptive against the run and the pass.

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Summary

The Broncos need to be strong in the middle of their defense and starting with Purcell is a great start. He’s a player who can plug the run and free up the players around him. Purcell is a favorite of his teammates and fans certainly appreciate his game as well.

Behind Purcell is a nice collection of talent and upside that could develop into quality players. Agim is my favorite of these players, and he should see the field as a rotational defensive lineman no matter if it’s at DE or DT. Williams is likely the true backup to Purcell and could give him a breather from time to time. Add in a guy like Stephen and you can see how the Broncos have experience and upside in their reserves.

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