Tag: Zach Allen

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:

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“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.

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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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Bo Nix struggles, Broncos lose to Seahawks 26-20 in Week 1

Bo Nix struggled until late in the fourth quarter and his late touchdown wasn’t enough as the Broncos fell 26-20 to the Seahawks.

Bo Nix struggled in his NFL debut as the Denver Broncos lost to the Seattle Seahawks 26-20 at Lumen Field on Sunday afternoon.

Nix went 26-of-42 passing for 138 yards with no passing touchdowns and two interceptions. It was a day to forget for the rookie and Denver’s entire offense.

Denver’s defense, on the other hand, came out flying, starting the game with a Jonathon Cooper sack on Seattle’s first snap. One play later, Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith threw an interception to Broncos linebacker Alex Singleton.

That takeaways set Denver’s offense up with good field position, but the Broncos had to settle for a 35-yard Wil Lutz field goal to take a 3-0 lead. Seattle matched that field goal to make it 3-3 later in the first quarter.

In the second quarter, Denver drove down to the Seahawks’ 21-yard line, but the drive ended with Nix’s first career interception, a poor decision thrown into coverage. That turnover set Seattle up at its own one-yard line and their offensive line was penalized for holding on the next play, a foul that resulted in a two-point safety. That gave the Broncos a 5-3 lead.

Later in the second quarter, Denver safety JL Skinner recovered a muffed Seahawks punt return at Seattle’s nine-yard line. The Broncos’ offense then settled for another Lutz field goal to make it 8-3.

The Seahawks erased that deficit on their next drive when Smith rushed 34 yards for a touchdown to make 9-8 (their 2-point attempt failed).

Denver made another big play on special teams later in the second quarter when cornerback Tremon Smith and Skinner teamed up to pin Seattle at its own one-yard line on a punt. One play later, Seahawks running back Zach Charbonnet was tackled by Zach Allen in the end zone for another safety that made it 10-9.

Lutz added a 45-yard field goal just before halftime to extend the lead to 13-9. After the offense went three-and-out to open the second half, the Broncos’ defense allowed a 23-yard touchdown run to Ken Walker as the Seahawks retook the lead 16-13.

On Denver’s ensuing drive, running back Jaleel McLaughlin lost a fumble near midfield. That led to a Seattle field goal that made it 19-13.

In the fourth quarter, Charbonnet scored on a 30-yard touchdown catch to extend the lead to 26-13. Nix later threw a second interception that essentially sealed the Broncos’ fate. Nix’s garbage time four-yard touchdown run late in the fourth quarter proved to be too little too late as Denver fell 26-20 after the Seahawks ran out the clock.

Up next for Denver is a home game against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 2. After sitting out Week 1 with a calf injury, Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson has an uncertain status for next week’s game at Empower Field at Mile High.

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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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11 players did not play in Broncos’ first preseason game

Most healthy Broncos starters played against the Colts on Sunday with a few exceptions that included star cornerback Pat Surtain.

The Denver Broncos played most of their healthy starters in their preseason opener against the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday with three exceptions on defense.

Broncos star cornerback Pat Surtain did not play — just like last year — and he was joined on the sideline by defensive linemen John Franklin-Myers and Zach Allen, who have been given sporadic rest days at training camp.

Denver also held back defensive lineman Eyioma Uwazurike, who just returned from a year-plus-long suspension last week.

“I think for someone who’s been out for a year, I just would regret it if we hurried him back and then he had a pulled muscle or something,” Broncos coach Sean Payton said of Uwazurike last week. “So I think it’s a tick early.”

Payton suggested Uwazurike will play against the Green Bay Packers in Denver’s second preseason game next week.

The rest of the players who sat out the Broncos’ preseason opener are recovering from injuries.

Safety Delarrin Turner-Yell (ACL) and linebacker Drew Sanders (Achilles) remain on the physically unable to perform list. Denver safety Brandon Jones (hamstring) and cornerback Levi Wallace (hamstring) have been sitting out at practice. Linebacker Justin Strnad is recovering from a groin injury, pass rusher Nik Bonitto is nursing a back injury and rookie guard Nick Gargiulo has an undisclosed ailment.

Broncos players who did not play

DB Brandon Jones (hamstring)
CB Levi Wallace (hamstring)
ILB Justin Strnad (groin)
OLB Nik Bonitto (back)
OL Nick Gargiulo (undisclosed)
DB Delarrin Turner-Yell (ACL)
LB Drew Sanders (Achilles)
DL Eyioma Uwazurike (just returned)
CB Pat Surtain (rest)
DL John Franklin-Myers (rest?)
DL Zach Allen (rest?)

We’ll get an update on the Broncos’ injuries when the team returns to practice on Wednesday. Denver will wrap up training camp next week with their final three open practices of the summer.

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Broncos roster series: No. 99, DE Zach Allen

Following a five-sack campaign in Year 1, Broncos defensive end Zach Allen looks to build on that total this fall.

Broncos Wire’s 90-man offseason roster series concludes today with a look at sixth-year defensive lineman Zach Allen, No. 99.

Before the Broncos: Allen (6-5, 285 pounds) entered the league as a third-round pick out of Boston College with the Arizona Cardinals in 2019. He played four games as a rookie before suffering a season-ending neck injury. Allen returned to play 13 games in 2020, including seven starts.

Allen later emerged as a full-time starter in 2021. In his final two seasons with the Cardinals from 2021-2022, Allen totaled 34 quarterback hits, 9.5 sacks, 12 pass breakups and one interception.

Broncos tenure: Allen signed with Denver last year, reuniting with Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph, who held that same role in Arizona from 2019-2022. In his first season in Denver, Allen recorded 60 tackles, 24 quarterback hits, five sacks, one pass breakup and one forced fumble in 17 games.

Chances to make the 53-man roster: Lock. Allen is set to lead the team’s defensive line again this fall as one of Joseph’s starting defensive ends.

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94 days till the Cardinals’ season opener against the Bills

No. 94 doesn’t belong to any player right now. The most recent impactful No. 94 was defensive lineman Zach Allen.

It is a Thursday and one day closer to the start of the 2024 NFL regular season. The Arizona Cardinals will kick off their 2024 regular season in Week 1 on the road against the Buffalo Bills.

We are 94 days from that event.

No. 94 currently is unoccupied by a player on the team. It belonged to veteran defensive lineman Carklos Watkins last year, who played in only two games before tearing his biceps and missing the rest of the season. He is a free agent, not having signed with a team yet.

Who was the most recent impactful No. 94? That would be Zach Allen, who spent four seasons with the team from 2019-2022, wearing No. 94 2020-2022.

He developed into a solid interior rushing, logging a career-high 5.5 sacks in 2022. He signed as a free agent in 2023 with the Denver Broncos and followed it up last season with five sacks.

He was a solid No. 94.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.

 

Broncos restructure contracts of Zach Allen, Ben Powers to create cap space

After restructuring the contracts of Ben Powers and Zach Allen, the Broncos have about $46.35 million in available salary cap space.

Entering Day 2 of the NFL’s free agency negotiating window, the Denver Broncos continue to create salary cap space through simple restructures.

The latest moves: Denver restructured the contracts of defensive lineman Zach Allen and guard Ben Powers, ESPN’s Field Yates first reported Tuesday. The two transactions will save just shy of $20 million in salary cap space this season.

Allen and Powers both had their base salaries ($14.25 million) converted into signing bonuses. Their salaries are lowered to $1.125 million and the signing bonuses will be prorated over the remainder of their contracts, lowering their 2024 cap numbers.

Allen now has three void years at the end of his deal (2026-2028) and Powers has two void years (2027-2028). The Broncos get instant relief now, but the team is kicking the cap hits down the road. Allen is now scheduled to have a cap hit of $12.225 million in 2026 when his contract voids and Powers will have a cap charge of $4.35 million when his deal voids in 2027.

The NFL’s salary cap is expected to increase every year, so those void years shouldn’t be too difficult for Denver to handle, but it’s worth mentioning that the Broncos are saving cap space in 2024 at the expensive of future years.

At the time of publication, OverTheCap.com estimates that Denver now has about $46.35 million worth of cap space in 2024.

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Broncos’ sack leaders from 2023 season

Jonathon Cooper (8.5) led the Broncos in sacks in 2023, followed by Nik Bonitto (8.0) and Zach Allen (5.0).

The days of Von Miller recording double-digit sacks seem like a distant memory for Denver Broncos fans.

The Broncos are going to need more from their pass rush in 2024 after an underwhelming campaign from Baron Browning, Jonathon Cooper and Nik Bonitto last fall.

In terms of sacks, Denver’s third-best pass rusher this season was Zach Allen, an interior defensive lineman who recorded five sacks in 2023. That’s a good total for a defensive tackle, but the fact that the Broncos did not have a third edge defender with five or more sacks is alarming.

Consequently, bringing in a top pass rusher should be a priority for Denver this offseason. Before free agency and the draft arrive, here’s a quick look back at the Broncos’ leaders in sacks from the 2023 season.

Josey Jewell won’t use finger guns celebration in 2024 after fines from NFL

After inconsistent rulings from the NFL in 2023, Broncos LB Josey Jewell will retire his finger guns celebration.

Denver Broncos inside linebacker Josey Jewell — nicknamed “The Outlaw” — plans to retire his finger guns celebration after being fined by the NFL for using it during the 2023 season.

Jewell was originally fined $13,659 for “unsportsmanlike conduct” (the celebration) against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 8. Jewell pointed his finger guns up in the air like a cowboy, but the league does not permit “any act resembling shooting a gun.”

Jewell appealed that fine and the NFL rescinded it.

Jewell then assumed he was in the clear, and he used the celebration again against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 14. That assumption was wrong.

The league fined Jewell $13,659 for his second “offense.” The linebacker appealed again, but his fine was only reduced by 20% to $10,928.

“He’ll have to retire it because we like our money,’’ Jewell’s agent, Jack Bechta, told The Denver Gazette‘s Chris Tomasson last week. “We’re just disappointed with the inconsistency from the league.”

So, unless there’s another twist in the saga, we’ve seen the last of Jewell’s signature celebration.

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15 takeaways from the Broncos’ first season under Sean Payton

Here are 15 quick takeaways from Sean Payton’s first season with the Broncos.

After starting 4-11 last season, the Denver Broncos fired first-time head coach Nathaniel Hackett with two games remaining. Jerry Rosburg then took over on an interim basis and the club split their final two games to finish the year with a 5-12 record.

After firing Hackett, the Broncos’ new ownership group wanted to go big, so they agreed to trade first- and second-round draft picks to the New Orleans Saints in exchange for a third-round pick and the rights to head coach Sean Payton last January.

While Denver did not qualify for the playoffs, the team did take a step forward in Year 1 under Payton, improving from 5-12 in 2022 to 8-9 in 2023. That marked the team’s best record since 2017. The next step is posting a winning record and qualifying for the postseason in 2024.

So, what did we learn from Payton’s first season in Denver? Here are 15 quick takeaways from the Broncos’ 2023 season.