Zach Allen Returns To Arizona As A Key Member Of Denver Defense

Denver Broncos defensive tackle Zach Allen started his journey to NFL excellence with the Arizona Cardinals, and he’ll revisit the scene of his salad days in Sunday’s game between the two teams. 

As Sam Jane of the Denver Post noted, though, Allen is a different player. He’s made himself into an All-Pro, a Top 100 player and the linchpin of the Denver defense, but one person who’s always believed in Allen is Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph, who’s been with Allen since he entered the league. 

Allen met Joseph there, and he was able to have defensive lineman J.J. Watt as a mentor. Allen said there are still staff members with the Cardinals who “mean a lot to him,” and coach Sean Payton is “glad he’s ours,” which makes sense given that Allen has already recorded 13 quarterback hits this season.

The defensive tackle has also enhanced his reputation as a run stopper, which is a big development for him. Joseph described Allen as “twitchy” and “long,” with “great hips and feet.” The defensive coordinator added that the run stopping component has elevated Allen to being a dominant player, which the Broncos have needed this year given their offensive struggles. 

Allen said he owes a lot to Joseph, who brought the defensive tackle to Denver. He called it a “leap of faith” to sign with the Broncos, as he grew up in Connecticut, went to college in Massachusetts and played his first four seasons in Arizona. 

He also called the Broncos a “storied franchise,” which definitely isn’t the case with the Cardinals. Arizona’s history is littered with bad seasons and a reputation for ineptness, and Allen loves the fact that Broncos fans are “100 percent invested” in the team. 

The defensive tackle has made big leaps since he left the Cardinals, and it’s safe to say he couldn’t achieve half of what he’s done since if he’d stayed in Arizona. The Broncos have become a marquee franchise, but they’re under the glare of the national spotlight right now. 

This is a pivotal game for Denver, and in many ways it’s another trap game for the Broncos. They’re coming in at 4-2, which is remarkable given what the offense has been putting on the field. They’re winning games with their defense, but there are a massive questions about whether this is sustainable, and it will be up to Allen and company to oncee again come up with answers to those questions as Denver tries to keep up with the Kansas City Chiefs.