5 former 49ers who could be forced into retirement by free agency

No. 2: Defensive tackle Mike Purcell (Broncos)

Veteran defensive tackle Mike Purcell is one of those stories fans like to hear.

An undrafted free agent who once seemed like a long shot to make any roster, he carved out a niche role as a backup with the 49ers back in 2014 after spending his rookie season as a practice squad member.

Then, he translated that into a solid career with the Denver Broncos that spanned from 2019 through 2023.

Regularly finding himself signed and released, Purcell has dangled from the back end of Denver's roster. Now, it seems as if the soon-to-be 33-year-old nose tackle could end up struggling to land with another team this offseason, especially amid the Broncos' efforts to completely revamp their team from top to bottom.

Run-defending interior linemen aren't hard to find, and they tend to be pretty inexpensive, meaning Purcell might have played his final downs in a meaningful game.