Denver Broncos’ $102 million investment is paying off after getting some long-overdue validation from peers and NFL decision makers
The Denver Broncos handed DT Zach Allen a four-year, $102 million contract a season ago. That decision hasn’t just been validated through his play, but by NFL decision-makers and in the eyes of his peers.
Denver Broncos defensive tackle Zach Allen is receiving career-best recognition from two separate corners of the NFL at once.
It cements the team’s 4-year, $102 million extension as one of the savvier bets on the interior pass-rusher market. Allen’s peers voted him No. 73 on the NFL Top 100 Players list of 2026, a 17-spot climb from his No. 90 ranking in 2025.
“He got back there so fast, the quarterback didn’t even have a chance,” Broncos CB Patrick Surtain II said.
“He’s a hell of a player,” Chiefs RG Trey Smith said.
“Making quarterbacks, you know, fear for their life,” Broncos LT Garrett Bolles said.
An ESPN survey of executives, coaches, and scouts also slotted Allen as the No. 8 defensive tackle in the league.
“His get-off and his relentless effort make him productive,” an NFL personnel director said, via ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. “He’s really good in those two areas.”
Both marks represent Allen’s first top-10 appearance in their respective rankings, and both arrived during the same offseason cycle. When players and front-office evaluators land on the same conclusion, the “is he actually good” conversation is over. Now, it’s about the ceiling and how far he can climb in Denver.
What the numbers say about Broncos DT Zach Allen
The production backs up the recognition. Allen has recorded 131 quarterback hits and 117 pressures since 2022, figures that place him among the top interior defensive linemen in the NFL over that stretch. Across his past two seasons in Denver, he has tallied 15.5 sacks. For a player who entered the league as a third-round pick out of Boston College in 2019 (No. 65 overall by the Arizona Cardinals), that sustained disruption represents a remarkable trajectory.
Allen had modest production during his time in Arizona. The change of scenery that came with signing in Denver unlocked a different player entirely, one who has now produced 20 sacks across three seasons with the Broncos. He shifted from a rotational piece without a clearly defined role to an elite interior disruptor validated by All-Pro honors, peer votes, executive rankings, and a nine-figure contract extension.
Zach Allen’s contract looks like a bargain for the Broncos now
When Allen signed his extension in Aug. 2025, the $25.5 million average annual value and $69.5 million in guarantees looked steep. The interior pass-rusher market has since exploded around him, and what once appeared like a premium now reads as value. The Broncos locked him up before the market caught up, and they stand to reap the rewards of that timing for years to come.
That deal carries even more weight after Denver’s defensive line turnover this offseason. John Franklin-Myers departed for the Tennessee Titans on a 3-year, $63 million deal. The Broncos replaced him by re-signing Matt Henningsen and Jordan Jackson while adding depth through rookie defensive tackle Tyler Onyedim. Allen is now clearly the centerpiece of the Broncos’ interior defensive line with Franklin-Myers out the door.
Allen’s on the path to make 2026 his best season yet
Allen’s path to prominence is a genuine NFL late-bloomer story. He got here through grinding and consistent development rather than hype or draft status. The Cardinals selected him in the third round, and it took a roster change and a coaching staff willing to give him a defined role for his talent to surface. His relentlessness and work ethic turned him from a rotational contributor into one of the sport’s premier interior defenders. Now, at 28-years-old, the sky is the limit. He’ll have a chance to continue making his mark during the 2026 NFL season as the team’s centerpiece on the defensive interior.