Tag: Defensive Line

Broncos DL Zach Allen is making an All-Pro impact this season

Broncos DL Zach Allen ranks No. 1 in pass rush win rate (26%) this season and No. 3 in quarterback pressures (27). Stud.

Denver Broncos defensive tackle Zach Allen has absolutely dominated this season.

Five games into the 2024 campaign, Allen has totaled 21 tackles (five behind the line of scrimmage), 12 quarterback hits and three sacks. Those numbers alone are impressive, but the advanced stats are even better.

Allen has a 26% pass rush win rate this season, according to Seth Walder of ESPN Analytics. No other defenders are higher than 20% this season.

Allen has totaled 27 quarterback pressures through five games, according to NFL Next Gen Stats. That ranks first among interior defensive linemen and third overall this season, via Broncos stats guru Tyler Gorse.

Allen’s defensive impact plays over expected (DIPOE) rating on Pro Football Focus is 15.01, second-best in the league through five games.

Here are some of the highlights from Allen’s first five games this fall:

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“[U]p front, we [are] really confident in our four-man rush and we take a lot of pride in that,” Allen said after the team’s 10-9 win over the Jets two weeks ago. “I think today was just another day we kind of proved that if you give guys one-on-ones [we’ll] win them across the board. So, it’s a lot of fun to play with this group and hopefully we can just keep on rushing the way we are and keep playing the team defense we are.”

https://twitter.com/billbarnwell/status/1844481872849772733

Allen, 27, is on pace to have the best season of his career and he’s likely a lock to make the Pro Bowl and a strong candidate to earn an All-Pro nod. Denver’s defensive dominance has been keyed in part by Allen’s big year.

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Chiefs scouting report: Alabama Crimson Tide DT Tim Keenan III

Alabama Crimson Tide DT Tim Keenan III is a rising prospect who the Kansas City #Chiefs should target in the 2025 NFL draft.

The decline in explosive offenses across the NFL lead several teams to build up their offensive lines and invest more in the run game during the 2024 offseason. The Kansas City Chiefs should counter this trend in the 2025 NFL draft by adding some more beef along the defensive line.

Alabama defensive tackle Tim Keenan III brings the versatility to play 2-tech, 2i, 1-tech, and 0-tech and would be an ideal fit in Steve Spagnuolo’s defense.

His thick 6 foot 2, 326-pound frame helps him play low to the ground. He sets a wide base to anchor at the point of attack. Keenan doesn’t hold his ground against double teams consistently, but he posted several examples of withstanding combo blocks over the past year.

Keenan contorts his upper body to absorb the offensive lineman’s blows without losing his positioning. He stacks and sheds one-on-one blocks against centers with ease. Keenan prefers to use long-arm moves and club-swims to discard run blocks.

Keenan is a unique athlete for a nose tackle. He possesses surprising bend in his hips to slip past guards while rushing the quarterback. Keenan flashes impressive lateral burst to exchange gaps at the snap and gain an agility advantage against linemen. His limited pass rush plan includes club-swims, humps, and two-handed swipes. He deploys a powerful bull rush too.

The Crimson Tide plan to follow up their victory against Georgia as they go on the road this week to visit Vanderbilt. The Commodores upset Virginia Tech earlier this season and took Missouri to double overtime. Alabama versus Vanderbilt kicks off at 3:15 p.m. CST.

Chiefs DT Chris Jones discusses facing former teammates: ‘It’s good to play against your peers’

Kansas City #Chiefs DT Chris Jones discusses facing former teammates: ‘It’s good to play against your peers’ | @EdEastonJr

The New Orleans Saints visit Arrowhead Stadium on Monday night. The team features multiple players who have played for the Kansas City Chiefs and contributed to Super Bowl titles.

Chiefs defensive lineman Chris Jones opened up to reporters on Friday about facing off against several former Chiefs on Monday night as they now play for the New Orleans Saints.

“Yeah, we’ve got what? (Saints LB) Willie Gay, TK (Saints DE Tanoh Kpassagnon), (Saints S) Tyrann (Mathieu), (Saints DT) Khalen Saunders – I talked to him (Saints DT Khalen Saunders) last night. I’m going to call him today to see if he can give me any spits about him being in the offense. (He) probably won’t, but it’s good, man (laughter).” said Jones. “It’s good to play against your peers that you once played and accomplished so much with. It’s also a challenge, though. We want to come in here and make sure we leave with a win. It’s exciting, (we are) looking forward to it, and maybe we can chat after the game.”

Jones is fond of all his former teammates but singled out Khalen Saunders for impacting his life off the field.

“You guys know that’s my guy (Saunders), that’s my guy,” said Jones. “We became very close over the time he was here. I used to go over to his house. (I) Still, call his Mama, Mama. She had a very personable relationship. That’s my guy. That’s my guy. I wish him nothing but success on his journey in this league. And I know when we play Monday, he’s (the) opponent.”

Saunders played for the Chiefs from 2019 to 2022, winning two Super Bowls alongside Jones on the defensive line.

Broncos DB Brandon Jones is PFF’s No. 1 safety this season

Broncos defensive back Brandon Jones is PFF’s highest-graded safety (90.0) through four games this season.

Four games into his career with the Denver Broncos, Brandon Jones is currently graded as the NFL’s best safety by Pro Football Focus.

PFF has given Jones an overall grade of 90.0, with an 87.9 coverage grade. The 26-year-old safety joined Denver after the team released Justin Simmons this spring.

“I’m pleased because there’s a little bit of unknown just not having him and, man, he’s got real good football instincts, savvy, the ball finds him,” Broncos coach Sean Payton said when asked about Jones following the team’s 10-9 win over the New York Jets on Sunday. “He’s doing well.”

Jones is Denver’s first player since 2015 to record at least one interception, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery in the team’s first four games of a season. The last player to do it was Darian Stewart, a member of the No Fly Zone defense that won Super Bowl 50.

Jones has totaled 24 tackles, two pass breakups and two takeaways through four games with the Broncos. He was an excellent signing this offseason.

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What is keeping the Saints defense from being elite?

The New Orleans Saints’ struggles along the defensive line are holding them back. They’ve got to make more plays up front to join the league elite:

The New Orleans Saints defense has been the backbone of this team for a while now. It became more prominent after Drew Brees retired. The revolving door of quarterbacks mixed with the absence of Michael Thomas.

At that point, the defense transitioned into being the face of the team. Demario Davis, Marshon Lattimore and Tyrann Mathieu are three of the biggest names on the team.

The unit has been elite for years, but that isn’t the case anymore. Why?

Outside of Carl Granderson and Bryan Bresee, there’s no other defensive linemen you can count on. The defensive line is a weak point of the defense and is one of the weakest parts of the team.

The lack of pressure on the quarterback allows them to sit back in the pocket and attack the secondary. Quarterbacks haven’t been forced into many rushed decisions because of pass rush. The Saints’ run defense has waned over the years as well.

If you struggle in the trenches, it’s near impossible to be great on that side of the ball. That goes for offense and defense. The Saints inability to close out games is the biggest headline, but they’ve had their struggles mid game.

The Saints have played bend but don’t break defense. The Eagles and Falcons drove the ball down the field repeatedly, and the Saints forced field goals. The struggles along the defensive line are the biggest contributing factor to this. There’s only so long you can bend but not break.

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Chiefs DT Chris Jones comments on the impending return of Charles Omenihu

Kansas City #Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones comments on the impending return of Charles Omenihu | @EdEastonJr

The injury rehab process for Kansas City Chiefs defensive end Charles Omenihu is moving along well, so much so that he could be returning sooner rather than later.

Chiefs All-Pro defensive tackle Chris Jones provided an update on the status of Omenihu during Thursday’s press conference.

“He’s been all in on it, staying late, working out for three or four hours a day,” said Jones. “Just his commitment, him and Tiffany (Morton) doing whatever it takes to make sure Charles gets back and can excel when he steps on the field again.”

Omenihu keeps everyone updated on his rehab through his YouTube channel and often teases his return on social media. Jones shared his opinion on what the veteran defensive lineman will bring to the lineup.

https://twitter.com/charless_94/status/1837871978306207802?s=46&t=QpctjHHttQhTm1N8jEj6Zw

“Add more versatility, not only to our room but to our defense,” said Jones. “We got a guy who can play end but also can bump down and play three-technique. And a guy who missed what? Four to six games last year still had seven or eight sacks. So you know, we can have more sacks, have more versatility to this defense.”

Omenihu finished the 2023 season with seven sacks after missing the first six games due to suspension.

New York has one ex-Bronco and Denver has an ex-Jet

Remember Connor McGovern? The former Broncos lineman is now on the Jets’ practice squad.

The New York Jets have one former Denver Broncos player: offensive lineman Connor McGovern is currently on their practice squad.

The 31-year-old McGovern (not to be focused with the 26-year-old Connor McGovern of the Buffalo Bills) entered the NFL as a fifth-round pick out of Missouri with the Broncos in 2016. He spent four years in Denver, starting 36 games from 2017-2019 before leaving in free agency in 2020.

McGovern has spent the last four years in New York. He now serves as a backup swing guard/center for the Jets.

The Broncos also have two ex-Jets on their roster: defensive lineman John Franklin-Myers and backup quarterback Zach Wilson. Denver acquired JFM from New York in exchange for a future sixth-round draft pick this spring when the Jets were making room for Haason Reddick (a disastrous move in hindsight).

Through three games with the Broncos, JFM has totaled seven tackles (two behind the line of scrimmage) and one sack. He recorded 17.5 sacks in 52 starts with the Jets from 2020-2023.

Sunday’s game will be regionally televised on CBS (view the TV map). New York is considered a home favorite against Denver this week.

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Broncos DL Zach Allen has fantastic highlights through 2 games

“He has real good staying power,” Broncos coach Sean Payton said of defensive lineman Zach Allen.

Denver Broncos defensive lineman Zach Allen is off to a great start this season with six tackles, five quarterback hits, two tackles behind the line of scrimmage and one sack through two games in 2024.

Former cornerback Chris Harris tweeted this week that Allen is Denver’s MVP with a Pro Bowl invite and possibly an All-Pro nod on the way.

Allen’s 31% pass rush win rate ranks first among defensive tackles this season, according to ESPN (via @Its_Strez). His nine pressures in Week 2 tied for first among interior defensive linemen, according to Pro Football Focus.

Allen has been a force, playing 112 snaps (second-most among defensive linemen). He has 13 pressures through two games, which also ranks second among interior defensive linemen.

“It’s a good thing,” defensive coordinator Vance Joseph said of Allen’s stamina. “Obviously, big guys wear down quicker than smaller guys because the job is different. He’s in great shape, and again he was mentored by J.J. Watt, who played every down.

“That speaks to the offseason, that speaks to how to train, how to eat and then lifestyle. So I’m not surprised he can play that many snaps. Now it’s not always good because big guys do wear down, and you want big guys fresh. He’s shown over the years he can play multiple snaps.”

Allen’s film is extremely impressive:

https://twitter.com/CoachBTJordan/status/1836426329077522520

“When I think of him and watch his tape, he’s consistent,” Broncos coach Sean Payton said when asked about Allen this week. “He has real good staying power. Play 16 and play 48 look the same. That’s hard to do at that position.”

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“I’d say he’s a pressure player,” Payton said. “In other words, he can be someone that can affect the quarterback and then I’d say [he can] handle the run as well. His consistency and his stamina are two things that come to mind.”

Allen recorded 60 tackles, 24 quarterback hits and five sacks last season. He’s well on his way to beating those totals in 2024.

https://twitter.com/Nate_Tice/status/1836448339744952774

If Allen keeps up this pace, he will certainly have a strong case to earn the first Pro Bowl selection of his career this fall.

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Cardinals sign ex-Broncos defensive lineman to practice squad

The Cardinals signed defensive lineman Angelo Blackson to their practice squad. He spent this summer with the Broncos.

The Arizona Cardinals have signed former Denver Broncos defensive lineman Angelo Blackson to their practice squad, according to Howard Balzer of Cards Wire.

Blackson (6-4, 318 pounds) signed with the Broncos in April to add more depth to the team’s defensive line. He was listed as a No. 2 defensive end behind Zach Allen for the duration of training camp and preseason this summer but did not make the team’s 53-man roster in August.

This will mark Blackson’s second stint in Arizona after he previously played for the Cardinals in 2020. The 31-year-old defensive lineman has spent time with eight NFL teams, totaling 179 tackles, 27 quarterback hits, 8.5 sacks, eight pass breakups, four fumble recoveries and one interception in 128 career games (42 starts).

Denver opted to carry six defensive linemen on the active roster this year: Allen, D.J. Jones, John Franklin-Myers, Malcolm Roach, Eyioma Uwazurike and Jordan Jackson. The team also has Matt Henningsen and Jordan Miller on the practice squad.

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Broncos have a promising DE duo in John Franklin Myers and Zach Allen

“We’ve hit the ground running,” Zach Allen said of teaming up with John Franklin-Myers on the Broncos’ defensive line.

After acquiring John Franklin-Myers in a trade with the New York Jets earlier this offseason, the Denver Broncos are set to go into the 2024 NFL season with Zach Allen and JFM as their starting defensive ends.

That’s a formidable duo.

“[W]e’ve known each other for a couple years now,” Allen said in July. “We’ve always joked about playing with each other. I’ve been watching him for a while and to see it up close and talk to him about it, it’s cool because we see the game the same way.

“So kind of that whole learning period of playing with a guy opposite of you, we didn’t really have and it was pretty smooth sailing. That’s pretty rare to have, and to have that is huge so we’ve hit the ground running so far with it.”

Allen totaled 24 quarterback hits and five sacks in his first season with the Broncos last fall. JFM recorded 48 QB hits and 14.5 sacks in his final three seasons with the Jets.

“I think you see Zach play and you see a guy who can win with power, he can win with speed and he can win with any type of move that he throws out there,” Franklin-Myers said in July. “Having somebody across from you — on the opposite side of you who kind of sees the same thing, you’re able to work some of those protections and work some of those games when it’s time.

“It’s the hardest thing because a lot of people don’t see that. Just through the conversations, through the little bit of practice that we’ve had and just getting a chance to work some of that stuff and bounce ideas off of each other, it’s only going to make us that much better.”

After having practiced together in training camp, Allen and JFM are now set to go into the 2024 season familiar with each other’s game. They should prove to be a talented duo for the Broncos this fall.

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