DENVER (KDVR) — Injuries gutted the Denver Broncos defense last season, but several key players including defensive lineman Mike Purcell are feeling healthy and ready to return to the lineup.

“I think it was tough last year. We had a lot of injuries happen. That kind of just emotionally brought some people down. Looking past that, we have a lot of guys that we can rely on as far as depth goes,” Purcell said.

Mike Purcell had his season taken away from him in 2020 because of a foot injury. The injury that not only took one surgery, but two.

“To remove the plate. So, they put the plate and screws in on the first one, and then it was just kind of better to take it out,” he said. “I got a lot more mobility back after they took it out. It was pretty stiff. I didn’t know what it looked like until they took it out, and they wouldn’t let me keep it. I was going to make a little chain out of it. That would have been kind of cool.”

So, no cool chain for Purcell, but he’s almost at 100%.

“I feel good. I feel really good. Now it’s time to get some game reps in and that’s our new thing. I’ve done practice and everything. We did the joint practices against other people, and I feel good. I feel really good,” Purcell said.

Hopefully good enough to get some reps in Seattle against the Seahawks this weekend.

“I want to. That’s how I feel. I haven’t played a game since last October, so I’m excited to get back out there and get some game reps in. I treat every game the same—preseason or not. The same butterflies as rookie year Game 1 versus the Super Bowl—I’ll still have the same butterflies,” he said. 

The Broncos and Seahawks will play on Saturday night at 8 p.m.