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Two key members of the Denver Broncos‘ defense has received well-deserved honors following the team’s 2024 season.
ESPN released their version of an NFL All-Pro team, and defensive tackle Zach Allen and cornerback Pat Surtain made the list. The Broncos won ten games the hard way this year. While the Sean Payton-Bo Nix offensive connection contributed, Allen and Surtain’s play on defense allowed the unit to help Denver reach the playoffs.
ESPN’s Bill Barnwell wrote on both and explained how their contributions propelled their team and why they were two of the best players in the league in 2024:
Allen has been a game wrecker in 2024. He leads the league with 39 quarterback hits, eight more than any other player. While he has a relatively modest 8.5 sacks by that standard, his work on the interior has helped create opportunities on twists and stunts for Bonitto and Cooper. He ranks third in pass rush win rate on the interior behind DeForest Buckner, who missed too much time with an injury to make my roster, and the other guy at defensive tackle in this team.
… And when he matches up against superstar wideouts, Surtain is usually the one winning the battle. Last week, he went up against Ja’Marr Chase on 43 routes and limited the star wideout to three catches on six targets for 27 yards, per NFL Next Gen Stats. Chase had six catches for 75 yards on 13 routes against Denver’s other cornerbacks. Offensive coaches are too good at moving star receivers around to ensure a one-on-one matchup against a top cornerback on every snap, but Surtain is as close as the modern game gets to a lockdown man corner.
Surtain (first-team) and Allen (second-team) also received All-Pro recognition from the Associated Press following the 2024 season.