Mike Purcell is a 31-year-old veteran who might be nearing the end of his career. He’s seen a lot in the NFL.
D.J. Jones is a 27-year-old defender who just signed the first big contract of his career, a three-year, $30 million contract with the Denver Broncos.
Jones might be a candidate to push Purcell out of the starting lineup, but that hasn’t stopped the veteran from hyping up his younger teammate.
“Have you seen that man?” Purcell asked with a smile on June 7. “Someone was going around saying that he looks like the ‘Orange Crush’ with his uniform in all orange. He’s an explosive player. I’ve had the benefit of watching him since he’s come in the league. Obviously, I was in San Francisco before he got there. I’ve had the benefit of watching him grow and he’s become one of those fierce run defenders in this league.
“The way his leverage — obviously he’s not the tallest, but his leverage, his strength and his explosiveness all benefits him in that run game and pass game as well. In San Francisco, he may not have been the star pass rusher with everyone they have there, but he can [be].”
As Purcell noted, Jones has made his biggest impact as a run-stuffer, totaling 126 tackles (23 for losses) and three forced fumbles in 61 games with the 49ers. But as Purcell said, Jones can also generate pressure as a rusher — he’s recorded seven sacks in his career.
Similar to his role in San Francisco, Jones will be asked to primarily focus on shutting down the run in Denver, but he’s a talented player who can also make an impact against the pass, as evidenced by his three pass breakups and nine QB hits with the 49ers.
Jones is poised to be a key player for the Broncos this season.
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