​When the Denver Broncos signed Zach Allen to a three-year, $45.75 million deal in March 2023, the team got a great bargain. Allen was selected in the third round of the 2019 NFL draft by the Arizona Cardinals, and while he was good there, he flew well under the radar. The Broncos knew they were getting a cornerstone piece for their defense. They knew they were getting a perfect fit for defensive coordinator Vance Joseph, who coached Allen with the Cards. In three years, Allen has built on the success he started in Arizona and transformed into one of the league’s best interior defensive linemen. He was selected as a first-team All-Pro last season while also making his first Pro Bowl.However, when Gordon McGuinness of Pro Football Focus ranked the top interior defensive linemen in the league, Allen only came in at No. 10. Broncos fans are going to argue that is too low, and it probably is, but the league is stocked with some tremendous talent at this position. “Allen’s PFF grade has been pulled down some by his struggles against the run, but he’s become one of the more reliable interior pass-rushers in football,” McGuinness wrote for PFF. “He tallied 81 and 83 pressures in 2024 and 2025, and is coming off a 2025 season that saw him earn a career-high 76.6 PFF grade. His 50 combined sacks and quarterback hits in the regular season and playoffs last year were the most in the league.” It would be nice to see Allen earn a little more recognition here, but he is going to be one of the leaders of the Broncos’ defense and one of the most difficult players for opposing offenses to deal with. #Broncos DL Zach Allen: “We came close to the sack record last year. And we fully expect to break it this year.” pic.twitter.com/652koOZTPO— Luca Evans (@bylucaevans) June 11, 2026In three seasons with the Broncos, Allen has notched 20.5 sacks while placing pressure on the quarterback on seemingly every passing play. Last year, he also knocked down six passes at the line of scrimmage, adding a new wrinkle to his game. He had never had more than one in a season before that. Prepared to begin his fourth season in Denver, the Broncos are happy they have Allen, and the list of players they’d prefer over him would likely be rather short. This article originally appeared on Broncos Wire: See where PFF ranked Zach Allen among NFL’s best interior linemen