Key Broncos in a Contract Year: Projecting DL Zach Allen's Payday

Zach Allen is poised to command a massive extension, but how much, and how would it impact the Denver Broncos' salary cap and roster building?

CINCINNATI, OH - DECEMBER 28: Denver Broncos Defensive Lineman Zach Allen (99) lines up for a play during the NFL, American Football Herren, USA football game between the Denver Broncos and the Cincinnati Bengals on December 28, 2024, at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio. / Michael Allio / IMAGO / Icon Sportswire

The Denver Broncos have multiple players entering the final year of their contracts. One of the more notable players is All-Pro interior defensive lineman Zach Allen, who signed with the Broncos as a free agent in 2023.

Allen signed a three-year, $45.75 million contract in 2023 and has delivered a lot in return. The question to ask is whether he should be extended, and if so, how much he should get in a contract.

To get an idea about that, let's examine what the market is currently for interior defenders and what's relevant when it comes to a possible extension for Allen.

The Current Market

The highest-paid interior defender right now is Kansas City's Chris Jones, who signed a five-year, $158.75M contract with $95M in guarantees, $60M fully guaranteed when he signed the deal in 2024.

It's not likely you'll see Allen command a contract that high, but then come the contracts for other interior defenders.

Let's look at the next five interior defenders who are currently the highest paid in terms of average-per-year salary, listed with their contract length, total money and guarantees, and full guarantees at signing.

• Christian Wilkins: Five years, $110M, $82.75M guaranteed, $57.5M fully guaranteed.
• Milton Williams: Five years, $104M, $63M guaranteed, $51M fully guaranteed.
• Nnamdi Madabuike: Four years, $98M, $70.5M guaranteed, $48.5M fully guaranteed.
• Alim McNeill: Four years, $97M, $55M guaranteed, $28M fully guaranteed.
• Derrick Brown: Four years, $96M, $63.16M guaranteed, $41.16M fully guaranteed.

Note that Madabuike, McNeill, and Brown signed their extensions when they had one year left on their previous deals, while Wilkins and Williams saw their deals expire and signed new contracts in free agency.

This matters because, for Williams and Wilkins, all the money they received was new money, while with the other three, they were already due money in the final year of their contracts. With that said, the other three did receive raises above what they previously made.

One thing to note is that Wilkins signed his deal in 2024 while Williams signed his this year. Though Williams got paid well, he didn't surpass Wilkins in any aspect. In other words, Williams may have received a significant deal, but not one that blew past Wilkins.

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What it Means for Allen

Sep 22, 2024; Tampa, Florida, USA; Denver Broncos linebacker Nik Bonitto (15) and Denver Broncos defensive end Zach Allen (99) sacks Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) during the second half at Raymond James Stadium. / Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

First of all, if the Broncos were to sign Allen to an extension this year, he would be getting additional money beyond the $13.25M that he is due. The raise will likely come in the form of a signing bonus.

Allen's 2025 salary isn't guaranteed, though it would become guaranteed under the vested veteran rule if he's on the 53-man roster for Week 1 of the regular season. However, in an extension, Allen will certainly get that money fully guaranteed upon signing.

The Broncos will certainly have to go beyond Allen's 2025 salary when it comes to fully guaranteed money. However, the question to ask is how much of that fully guaranteed money is new money.

The other question to ask is how much longer the Broncos believe Allen can keep playing at a high level. He will be 28 years old in August and the Broncos might not be prepared to commit to him beyond 2026, the year he will turn 30.

And considering that Williams didn't blow past Wilkins with his new deal, it would indicate the Broncos wouldn't have to blow past both interior defenders for a new deal for Allen. While Allen would be in line for a significant payday, he's far from guaranteed to become the second-highest-paid interior defender in the NFL.

The Likely Contract

Allen does have a case to get an APY salary of at least $24M in a new deal. It's possible he could reach $25M APY, but the Broncos won't necessarily have to go past Wilkins and Williams when it comes to APY salary.

As for full and total guarantees, Allen has a case to approach $50M in full guarantees. However, keep in mind that wouldn't mean $50M in new money — his $13.25M due this year likely gets rolled into that. As for total guarantees, the Broncos might be able to keep that at about $70M.

A new contract would certainly commit the Broncos to Allen through 2026, but they could offer a small sum of fully-guaranteed money in 2027, with the rest guaranteed for injury. As for any years after that, the Broncos likely wouldn't guarantee any money, allowing them a means to get out of the deal in 2028.

The Takeaway

The Broncos still have the luxury of Bo Nix being on an inexpensive contract in 2026, so they shouldn't have trouble accommodating a deal for Allen. Also, the salary cap is expected to rise again in 2026, plus the Broncos have some flexibility when it comes to moving on from certain players in 2026 if necessary.

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Given that Allen has been a productive player and a good fit in Vance Joseph's scheme, it would make sense to keep him for at least a couple more seasons. Time will tell whether the Broncos can come to terms with him.

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