Tag: Zach Allen

Broncos and Lions bring diverging defensive trends to a key Saturday night matchup

When the Broncos and Lions face off on Saturday night, it will be a story of two defenses that have changed dramatically.

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When the Denver Broncos and the Detroit Lions face off Saturday night at Ford Feld in Detroit, it’ll be one team fighting to maintain their division lead (the 9-4 Lions), and another trying to make a dent in the postseason picture after a horrible start (the 7-6 Broncos).

And in this case, we’re talking about two defenses that have gone in decidedly different directions in the second half of the season. That’s a good thing in Denver’s case. The Broncos ranked dead last in Defensive DVOA in through Week 9, and they rank sixth since. It’s even better for Vance Joseph’s defense against the pass — a team that ranked 32nd in Pass Defense DVOA through Week 9 now ranks third.

In the Lions’ case, it’s no bueno. Detroit started the season ranked eighth in Defensive DVOA through the first nine weeks, and they rank 28th since. The Lions ranked eighth in Pass Defense DVOA in the first half of the season, and they’re stuck at 28th since.

How can two NFL defenses go so strongly in different directions so quickly? Let’s go under the hood.

5 Broncos who deserve to make the 2024 Pro Bowl

These five Broncos players should make the Pro Bowl this season. Denver also has a few players worthy of honorable mentions.

Fan voting for the 2024 NFL Pro Bowl has opened and several Denver Broncos players are worthy of national recognition.

The Pro Bowl Games will feature a flag football game again 2024 with Peyton Manning (AFC) and Eli Manning (NFC) returning as coaches. Last season, Elis’s NFC squad defeated Peyton’s AFC team at the Pro Bowl.

Last year, cornerback Pat Surtain was the team’s only representative at the All-Star game. Surtain is likely to make the Pro Bowl again this season, and he might be joined by several teammates.

In addition to Surtain, Denver’s secondary also features star safety Justin Simmons, who previously made the Pro Bowl in 2020.

On offense, guard Quinn Meinerz has been turning heads this season and wide receiver Courtland Sutton keeps scoring touchdowns. The Broncos also have a key special teams player worthy of a Pro Bowl nod.

Honorable mentions: Quarterback Russell Wilson, defensive lineman Zach Allen, cornerback Ja’Quan McMillian, outside linebacker Baron Browning, running back Javonte Williams and fullback Michael Burton.

2 Broncos players were fined by NFL for finger gun celebrations

The NFL fined Broncos LB Josey Jewell and DL Zach Allen $13,659 each for their finger gun celebrations against the Chiefs.

A pair of Denver Broncos defenders were fined by the NFL during their bye week break over the weekend.

Broncos inside linebacker Josey Jewell and defensive lineman Zach Allen were both fined $13,659 for unsportsmanlike conduct against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 8, according to ESPN’s Jeff Legwold and others.

After Jewell sacked Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes in the third quarter, the linebacker — nicknamed “The Outlaw” — celebrated by pretending to shoot in the air with finger guns. Allen joined in with his own finger guns.

As Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports pointed out on Twitter/X, the NFL will fine players for “any act resembling shooting a gun.”

The play was negated by a defensive holding penalty called against Denver’s secondary, so the sack does not count toward Jewell’s stats. The linebacker officially finished the game with five tackles, one pass breakup and one forced fumble. Allen totaled four tackles and a half-sack in a 24-9 win.

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Broncos DE Zach Allen dubbed a ‘phenomenal player’

“Zach [Allen] is a phenomenal player,” Broncos OLB Jonathon Cooper said of his new teammate.

After a quiet Bronco debut in Denver’s preseason opener two weeks ago, new defensive lineman Zach Allen made a much bigger impact against the 49ers in Week 2 of preseason.

Allen played 26 snaps against the 49ers and he made them count, totaling three tackles and one sack. Allen also helped teammates other teammates like pass rusher Jonathon Cooper get free by drawing attention up front.

“He brings a lot,” Copper said of Allen after the game in San Francisco. “Obviously, Zach is a phenomenal player. I feel like he’s getting better week-to-week and I feel like adding someone like him on a d-line has been a great help. The pressure that he can bring in the inside just makes it easier for us on the edge.”

After totaling 34 quarterback hits and 9.5 sacks over the last two seasons (28 games) in Arizona, Allen signed a three-year, $45.75 million contract with the Broncos. So far, he appears capable of living up to that contract.

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Broncos DE Zach Allen named one of NFL’s most underrated players

Zach Allen “could be the primary disruptor” on the Broncos’ defensive line this season.

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Touchdown Wire’s Doug Farrar recently published his list of the NFL’s top-32 most underrated players and Denver Broncos defensive lineman Zach Allen made the cut.

Farrar describes the underrated players on the list as “secret superstars” — players who are “not given their proper due” by fans and pundits.

For the Broncos, he believes that player is Allen, who just signed a three-year deal with the team this offseason after spending the first four years of his career with the Arizona Cardinals.

Here is part of Farrar’s commentary on Allen:

The 6-foot-4, 281 Allen had his best season to date in 2022, with six sacks, 15 quarterback hits, and 14 quarterback hurries in 427 pass-rushing snaps. Allen’s sacks came everywhere from the edge to aligned over the guards to true nose-shade alignments — so, like his mentor, he’s developed into a guy who can harass quarterbacks from any place you’d like. … 

The recent addition of Frank Clark does something for a Denver defensive front in need of pass rush, but it’s Allen who could be the primary disruptor.

That’s a pretty promising endorsement for the 25-year-old defensive lineman. Allen is listed on the team’s roster as a 3-4 defensive end, but he can also play further inside, similar to the role Derek Wolfe played during his time with the team.

Fans will get their first on-field look at Allen when training camp begins next month.

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The NFL’s All-Underrated Team: One Secret Superstar for all 32 teams

From Matt Milano to Denico Autry to Tyler Lockett to Tony Pollard, here are the NFL’s most underrated players by team.

Why are great players underrated in any sport?

There are all kinds of reasons. In football, it could be that the guy playing your position is even better than you are, and he’s been doing it longer. Maybe we only have the attention span for one great player at your position Maybe you’re on a team that doesn’t get much national praise, or you’re part of a unit that… well, stinks… and you’re one of the few bright spots. Or, you’re just getting started on the ascent, and the world hasn’t quite caught up yet.

No matter the reason, there are many NFL players who ply their trade at an exceedingly high level, and they’re not given their proper due. Here, we look to rectify this in 32 individual instances with the most underrated player for every NFL team. Some of these guys have been doing it the right way in the shade for a long time for their teams; a few are new in their uniforms.

No matter why, all 32 of these NFL players deserve more love than they get, and here’s why. Here is every NFL team’s most underrated player.

(All advanced metrics courtesy of Pro Football Focus and Sports Info Solutions unless otherwise indicated). 

Broncos offseason roster: No. 99, DL Zach Allen

Zach Allen joined the Broncos this offseason after totaling 5.5 sacks with the Cardinals in 2022.

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

Before the Broncos: Allen (6-4, 281 pounds) played college football at Boston College and was picked by the Arizona Cardinals in the third round of the 2019 NFL draft.

After beginning his career as a rotational lineman, Allen emerged as a full-time starter in 2021, totaling 48 tackles, 14 quarterback hits, four sacks, four pass breakups, three fumble recoveries, one interception and one defensive touchdown that year. 

Allen was healthy for 13 games last season, recording 47 tackles, 20 quarterback hits, eight pass breakups and 5.5 sacks. He played across from J.J. Watt in Arizona and will now wear his mentor’s old number in Denver.

Broncos tenure: Allen signed a three-year, $45.75 million contract with the Broncos during free agency. 

Chances to make the 53-man roster: Allen will be a lock to make the team this summer and he is expected to start at defensive end in the place of Dre’Mont Jones, who left during free agency this spring. 

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Broncos’ updated defensive line depth chart after the NFL draft

The Broncos could use another veteran defensive end to shore up their defensive line depth chart.

DE NT DE
Zach Allen D.J. Jones Matt Henningsen
Eyioma Uwazurike Mike Purcell Jonathan Harris
Elijah Garcia PJ Mustipher Jordan Jackson
Sione Asi Haggai Ndubuisi

After not selecting any defensive linemen in the NFL draft, the Denver Broncos’ defensive end depth chart has a few question marks as the team prepares for the start of organized team activities this month.

Dre’mont Jones left the club in free agency and the Broncos replaced him with Zach Allen, but Denver does not have an obvious replacement for DeShawn Williams, a 15-game starting last year who also left during free agency this spring.

Unless the Broncos are planning to have D.J. Jones play as a defensive end with Mike Purcell starting at nose tackle, the DE spot across from Allen could be a weak spot going into the 2023 season.

Right now, Henningsen seems to be the favorite for the job given that he played in all 17 games last season (Uwazurike was only active for eight games in 2022). Harris could also be a sleeper option to watch.

Denver might consider signing a veteran defensive lineman before training camp to shore up the team’s d-line depth this summer.

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Zach Allen named Cardinals’ biggest free agency loss

Pro Football Focus thinks Allen’s departure to the Denver Broncos is the Cardinals’ biggest loss.

Every NFL team has suffered losses in free agency. Some losses are more impactful than others. Sometimes they are able to replace them with other players.

For example, the Denver Broncos lost defensive lineman Dre’Mont Jones to the Seattle Seahawks. They replaced him with former Cardinals defensive lineman Zach Allen.

Allen’s departure is the Cardinals’ biggest loss, according to PFF.

Amid J.J. Watt‘s retirement to boot, Arizona may have the worst defensive line in the NFL on paper heading into the 2023 campaign. New head coach Jonathan Gannon has his work cut out for him after coordinating a Philadelphia Eagles defense that recorded 70 regular-season sacks in 2022, the third most all time. 

They didn’t get there by relying on one or two marquee players, either. In fact, they became the first team in NFL history to have four different players record double-digit sacks in a year. Now in Arizona following Allen’s departure, Gannon is left with a current top pass rusher who may not rank in the top five on the Eagles roster, and that’s even after interior defender Javon Hargrave signed a massive deal in free agency with the San Francisco 49ers. Fortunately, Arizona has the No. 3 overall pick in the draft and could add a difference-maker on Day 1.

The Cardinals have not done much to replace Allen. Their one defensive line addition was former Tennessee Titan Kevin Strong.

In addition to Allen, the Cardinals also lost cornerback Byron Murphy, but they are a little better at cornerback on the roster than they are on the defensive line.

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

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Broncos landed one of the NFL’s most underrated free agents

Touchdown Wire dubbed Zach Allen one of the NFL’s most underrated free agents this spring.

Zach Allen isn’t exactly a household name, but he was an important addition for the Denver Broncos this offseason.

Allen signed a three-year, $45.75 million contract with Denver and he’s now set to replace Dre’Mont Jones on the team’s defensive line. Before the NFL’s signing period started last week, Touchdown Wire’s Doug Farrar dubbed Allen one of the most underrated free agents this offseason:

Allen was off to a relatively unremarkable start to his NFL career through his first two seasons. But then, J.J. Watt came to the Valley of the Sun in 2021 with a few ideas on how to be a multi-gap disruptor, and Allen was a willing disciple. The 6-foot-4, 281 Allen had his best season to date in 2022, with six sacks, 15 quarterback hits, and 14 quarterback hurries in 427 pass-rushing snaps. Allen’s sacks came everywhere from the edge to aligned over the guards to true nose-shade alignments — so, like his mentor, he’s developed into a guy who can harass quarterbacks from any place you’d like.

After learning under Watt in Arizona, Allen now lands in Denver aiming to live up to his big contract. Judging from Watt’s endorsement, it seems safe to say Allen was a great signing for the Broncos.

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