The Denver Broncos had plenty of bright spots during the 2023 season. Bo Nix established himself as the franchise quarterback, Courtland Sutton topped 1,000 yards, Marvin Mims emerged as a receiving weapon, and the team boasted one of the NFL's best defenses.
In 2023, the Broncos brought back former head coach Vance Joseph as their defensive coordinator. However, the defense struggled early on.
Joseph's unit allowed 181 points through their first five games, averaging 36.2 points per game. During that stretch, Denver also surrendered 70 points to the Miami Dolphins.
After those first few weeks, Joseph reverted to his preferred defensive strategy, which significantly improved the Broncos' defense. The defense allowed 19.3 points per game for the rest of the season.
By 2024, Joseph's defense had become the third-best scoring defense in the NFL, with one standout contributor being defensive end Zach Allen.
According to Chris Tomasson of the Denver Gazette, Allen is seeking a significant extension this offseason.
Heading into the final year of his contact, #Broncos 2nd-team All-Pro DE Zach Allen is seeking lucrative contract extension. One source said Allen seeks deal in the neighborhood of $25 million per season. Website Spotrac projects his market value an average $22.1 million per year
— Chris Tomasson (@christomasson) March 5, 2025
Spotrac.com projects his market value to average $22.1 million per year. Entering the final year of his contract, Allen has a base salary of $12.7 million with a cap hit of $19.79 million.
Last season, Allen played 16 regular-season games and enjoyed a career year, totaling 61 tackles, a career-high 8.5 sacks, and 40 quarterback hits. If Allen doesn't secure the deal he's seeking, he will become a free agent after the upcoming season.
Related: Broncos' Bo Nix Receives Impressive Honor From Senior Bowl
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This story was originally published March 9, 2025 at 9:00 AM.