Broncos' Zach Allen Ranked No. 32 DL by PFF

For as high as the Denver Broncos are on free-agent defensive lineman Zach Allen, he will often be compared to Dre'Mont Jones. The power brokers within Denver's front office felt more comfortable with Allen's overall versatility and enthusiasm. 

Jones, on the other hand, appeared desperate to jump ship when he got the first opportunity to cash in elsewhere. Once any lingering salty feelings are put to bed, Broncos Country will admit that Jones remains a good bet to put up numbers as a member of the Seattle Seahawks.

However, PFF has been busily compiling its offseason comparison lists for each position, and when it got around to interior defensive linemen, Allen ranked No. 32, but Jones strangely didn't feature.

32. ZACH ALLEN, DENVER BRONCOS

Allen turned a career year with the Arizona Cardinals into a nice contract with the Broncos in free agency. And with Allen being just 25 years old after the first four years of his career, Denver will feel good about his career trajectory. His 71.6 PFF pass-rush grade in 2022 was the best of his NFL tenure, as were his six sacks and 35 total pressures.

Considering the $45.75 million the Broncos shelled out for Allen, nobody is claiming that it's even remotely a steal. A massive upside exists on account of the four years of professional experience he’s managed to accumulate at 25 years old. 

It all bodes well for Allen's continued upward trajectory, especially because he will remain cocooned within Vance Joseph's very familiar defensive scheme. Future Hall-of-Famer and three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year J.J. Watt stepped up to mentor Allen over the last two campaigns they spent together in Arizona, and that Jedi-like guidance is expected to continue, albeit in an informal capacity.

Allen's studious and workmanlike approach to his job fits the core DNA of a Sean Payton kind of player — perhaps more significantly than Jones was ever going to. The Broncos will be looking for full-time availability and increased production from their expensive addition, so as to justify the significant investment.

An internal contest has developed between the respective front offices of the Broncos and Seahawks ever since quarterback Russell Wilson was traded to Denver back in March 2022. Undoubtedly, Seahawks GM John Schneider will be thinking that he’s picked the pockets of his counterpart George Paton once again by luring Jones to the Pacific Northwest.

In the final analysis, that battle of egos will level out somewhat if Allen should outperform Jones in 2023, but either way, both men will get paid extremely handsomely regardless.