ARIZONA CARDINALS

Report: Former Cardinals DL Zach Allen reaches agreement with Broncos

Mar 13, 2023, 6:10 PM

Zach Allen #94 of the Arizona Cardinals celebrates a sack against the Los Angeles Chargers in the f...

Zach Allen #94 of the Arizona Cardinals celebrates a sack against the Los Angeles Chargers in the fourth quarter at State Farm Stadium on November 27, 2022 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

The Arizona Cardinals have started free agency by losing a key part of their defense. Defensive lineman Zach Allen has agreed to a three-year deal with the Denver Broncos, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Allen was one of the team’s premier free agents this offseason alongside cornerback Byron Murphy. He reunites with defensive coordinator Vance Joseph, who now holds the same title in Denver.

The defensive line room gets even thinner without Allen thanks to his departure and the retirement of J.J. Watt. The group now features Rashard Lawrence, Leki Fotu, Jonathan Ledbetter and Manny Jones. Allen and Watt combined for 18 of the team’s 36 sacks last year, plus 45 QB hits.

Allen just wrapped up his fourth NFL season after entering the league as a 2019 third-round draft pick out of Boston College.

Despite a revolving door of assistant coaches over the years, Allen showed steady growth year after year since getting his feet wet with a four-game sample size his rookie season.

This past year was easily Allen’s best despite missing four games due to a hand injury, with the defensive lineman racking up 5.5 sacks, 47 tackles, 10 for loss, 20 QB hits and eight passes defensed.

Per Pro Football Focus, Allen posted a career-best defensive grade of 72.7.

The lineman is just one of 30 in-house free agents the Cardinals had to make a decision on this offseason under new general manager Monti Ossenfort and head coach Jonathan Gannon.

Before the legal-tampering window for unrestricted free agents opened on Monday ahead of the new league year, Arizona was already tweaking the roster.

It started with the release of wide receiver Chosen Anderson, which freed up $12 million in cap space.

Starting outside linebacker Markus Golden was also shown the door two days after Anderson’s release, providing another $3.08 million in cap relief and a dead money hit of $1.08 million.

The Cardinals did, however, see the return of exclusive rights free agent and WR Greg Dortch, who signed his one-year tender to remain with the team last Friday.

Arizona Cardinals

Arizona Cardinals is embracing change amid coaching staff carousel....

Tyler Drake

‘Part of the business’: Cardinals’ Jonathan Gannon facing new challenge in Year 3

Arizona Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon is facing a new reality with the departures of multiple assistants this offseason.

1 day ago

A recent ESPN mock draft has the Cardinals taking two cornerbacks in the first two rounds of the NF...

Brandon Cadiz

ESPN’s Matt Miller has Cardinals taking two CBs in Mock Draft

ESPN's analyst Matt Miller has the Cardinals taking two cornerbacks with their first two picks in the 2025 NFL Draft.

2 days ago

Arizona Cardinals GM Monti Ossenfort looks on. It's officially NFL mock draft season with Arizona's...

Tyler Drake

NFL mock draft tracker: What will Cardinals do with No. 16 pick?

A look across the NFL mock draft landscape when it comes to the Arizona Cardinals' No. 16 overall pick in this year's draft.

3 days ago

The Jaguars are hiring former Cardinals pass game specialist Spencer Whipple as their next QBs coac...

Tyler Drake

Jaguars hiring Cardinals’ Spencer Whipple as their new quarterbacks coach

The Jacksonville Jaguars are hiring Cardinals pass game specialist Spencer Whipple as their next quarterbacks coach.

3 days ago

Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley (26) runs the ball for a touchdown during the secon...

Associated Press

Saquon Barkley can set the NFL total rushing record, but he wants a Super Bowl win

Saquon Barkley is 30 yards shy of breaking the NFL season rushing record, postseason included. He wants a Super Bowl win.

3 days ago

Could the Arizona Cardinals be headed toward adding another offensive line cornerstone in the 2025 ...

Tyler Drake

You can officially put these Ohio State prospects on Cardinals’ NFL Draft radar

Could the connection between Cardinals OL coach Justin Frye and a couple of offensive line prospects impact what Arizona does in the NFL Draft?

3 days ago

Report: Former Cardinals DL Zach Allen reaches agreement with Broncos