Zach Allen’s return to Arizona comes with a whole different feel this time around.
The Denver Broncos defensive tackle first entered the NFL with the Cardinals, but he’s no longer the same player who landed there. Allen has grown into an All-Pro, a Top 100 player and a central figure in Denver’s defense, and Sunday’s game against Arizona sends him back to the place where it all started.
One familiar face has been part of that climb from the beginning: Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph. Sam Jane of the Denver Post noted that Joseph has been with Allen since he came into the league, and Allen has also credited the influence of J.J. Watt, who served as a mentor during his time in Arizona.
Allen still has ties to the organization he left behind. He said there are staff members with the Cardinals who “mean a lot to him,” even as Broncos coach Sean Payton is “glad he’s ours,” a sentiment that fits the way Allen has played this season. He already has 13 quarterback hits.
His game has expanded, too. Allen has built a stronger reputation as a run stopper, and Joseph made clear how much that matters to his rise.
The coordinator described Allen as “twitchy” and “long,” with “great hips and feet.” He also said the run-stopping part of Allen’s game has pushed him into dominant territory, which has been especially important for Denver given the issues on offense.
Allen said he owes Joseph a lot for bringing him to Denver, and he called the move a “leap of faith.” That path took him from Connecticut to Massachusetts to Arizona before his first four NFL seasons with the Cardinals.
He also described the Broncos as a “storied franchise,” and said he likes that Denver fans are “100 percent invested” in the team.
Now he’s back in Arizona as part of a Broncos team sitting at 4-2, carrying the load with defense while the offense continues to raise questions. Denver keeps winning, but the big issue is whether that formula can hold up. Against the Cardinals, Allen and the Broncos defense are back in the spotlight, trying to answer it again while Denver stays in step with the Kansas City Chiefs.
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Broncos Fans May Have A New Concern About Alex Singleton
Alex Singletons name is back in the league office conversation after the Broncos linebacker was fined for a hit on Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold in the Oct. 15 win over Seattle. The play drew no penalty in the moment, but the NFL later ruled it unnecessary roughness and levied a $23,882 fine, adding another layer to an already active season for one of Denvers most physical defenders.
It is the third time Singleton has been fined this year, even though one of the earlier penalties was eventually rescinded on appeal. For the Broncos, the concern is less about one isolated hit and more about a pattern that can keep putting a key defensive leader under league scrutiny, especially as Denver continues to lean on his presence in the middle of the defense. [Read more 🡒]
Broncos Suddenly Have A Blockbuster RB Question To Answer
A running back market that was expected to stay quiet suddenly has some real heat, and Jonathan Taylor is right at the center of it. ESPNs Ian Rapoport and Adam Schefter reported that the Packers, Seahawks and Broncos are among the teams weighing a possible trade for the Colts star, a development that lands at an especially messy moment in Indianapolis after the team fired GM Chris Ballard and could start looking at veteran deals.
Taylor only signed an extension this year and has already appeared in six games this season, so any move would be a major shift for a player still supposed to be part of the Colts long-term core. Even so, the situation is not cut and dried, because Colts owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon reportedly still views Taylor as a key piece of the franchise, leaving interested teams like Denver to monitor whether the idea turns into something much bigger. [Read more 🡒]
Broncos Running Back Picture Just Got More Concerning Than Expected
The Broncos backfield and special teams depth took another hit with a series of roster moves that also touched the defense and secondary. Denver placed running back Tyler Badie and linebacker Jonah Elliss on injured reserve, while also activating linebacker Jonathon Cooper back onto the active roster and promoting safety Taylor Rapp and cornerback Sean Fresch Jr. from the practice squad.
Badies move matters most for a running back group that had already been trying to find its footing, and the timing only adds to the uncertainty around how the Broncos will sort out touches and depth over the next stretch. Coopers return gives the defense a familiar piece back after his extended absence, but the roster churn suggests Denver is still managing more than one spot at once as it heads into the next phase of the season. [Read more 🡒]