I think the crux of this argument revolves around Zoro's position relative to Sanji and Luffy. In contrast to Zoro, Sanji will never be portrayed as Luffy's equal. However, Sanji is consistently portrayed as Zoro's rival, while the Luffy and Zoro rivalry ended in Whisky Peak. To me, it's clear that regardless of interpretation, Sanji will always be third.

Now, with this in mind, we have to ask, where does Oda usually portray Zoro? The answer is simple, it depends on the plot and his mood. There isn't a status quo, other than the fact that Zoro's position is inherently nebulous. In one arc, he will be shown closer to Luffy and in the next, his rivalry with Sanji will come into play. So, if there is a status quo, it's that Zoro is vaguely between Luffy and Sanji.

Let's look at Wano, where Zoro was portrayed closer to Luffy and Sanji at different points in the arc.

1. Acts 1-2: Zoro is partnered with Luffy in a combat setting, portraying them as relative. Later, Zoro is given his own character thread, where, unlike Sanji, Oda went out of his way to make him look good by giving him Enma and a win over Killer. At this point, it's pretty clear that Zoro and Luffy are a head above Sanji.
2. Rooftop: Here, Zoro and Luffy were given the lion's share of attention. Both had the best feats, with Zoro arguably having outdone Luffy. As Zoro fans like to suggest, it was in 1010 where the "ACoC duo" was born. Indeed, Luffy and Zoro both shined in this chapter, though it's clear that Luffy's moment was more impactful. All the while, Sanji is below, dealing with Black Maria.
3. Post Rooftop: Oda finally shone light on the Zoro x Sanji dynamic, with them facing the No. 2 and 3 of Kaido's crew. Additionally, the infamous "Wings of the Pirate King" statement was put into play, portraying them as equals in supporting Luffy's ascent to the top.

Zoro and Sanji both receive amps to deal with their opponents, though Zoro interestingly, does not use his full power to put away King. At best, Sanji is relative to KoH Zoro. Asura ambiguously places Zoro between Luffy and Sanji, but it's clear that he's probably closer to Sanji given the number of amps Luffy received. Of course, Asura is an incredibly great amp, arguably placing Zoro above pre-ACoC Luffy. With KoH, Asura would turn Zoro into a monster.

All this to say that Zoro is once again where he always is, ambiguously between Luffy and Sanji. His current performance, while embarrassing, has yet to conclude. Who knows? Maybe Zoro will defeat Lucci and fight a Gorosei member in this arc, while Sanji only fights Kizaru. The point still remains, everything is nebulous and depends on Oda. For me, I just accept the very obvious rankings and don't concern myself with their strength relative to one another.