Linebacker looked similar 1 of the biggest vulnerabilities connected the Eagles' roster entering the season, with 3 elephantine question marks successful the premix for 2 starting roles.
The Eagles added a brace of NFC South linebackers successful Devin White and Zack Baun arsenic escaped agents, but each came to Philadelphia with plentifulness to prove. White had a unsmooth last 2 seasons successful Tampa Bay aft a blistery commencement to his career, portion Baun struggled to clasp down a starting relation successful 4 seasons with the Saints.
Former third-round prime Nakobe Dean was besides successful the mix, but helium started lone 4 games implicit his archetypal 2 NFL seasons.
The White signing didn't enactment out. In fact, helium ne'er adjacent played a crippled with the Eagles. Baun, connected the different hand, couldn't person worked retired immoderate better — and helium whitethorn beryllium portion of the look that takes Philadelphia to the Super Bowl.
Here's a look astatine however Baun went from a misfit successful New Orleans to an All-Pro with the Eagles.
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Zack Baun vocation timeline
2020-2023: New Orleans Saints
The Saints selected Baun retired of Wisconsin with the No. 74 prime successful the 2020 draft.
Despite hopes helium could make into a semipermanent starter, Baun ne'er started much than six games successful immoderate of his 4 seasons successful New Orleans. He recorded lone 2 tackles for nonaccomplishment successful his archetypal 3 seasons and ne'er topped 30 tackles successful a season, playing much peculiar teams snaps than antiaircraft snaps each year.
When Baun deed escaped agency, the Saints didn't person overmuch of a crushed to bring him back. They alternatively brought successful Willie Gay Jr. to complement Demario Davis and Pete Werner, a determination that seemed similar an upgrade fixed Gay's title acquisition arsenic a starter successful Kansas City.
Instead, the Saints are near wondering wherefore they couldn't get the astir retired of Baun earlier helium exploded successful Philadelphia.
2024: Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles signed Baun to a one-year, $3.5 cardinal woody astatine the commencement of escaped agency, adding what they thought was linebacker extent astatine a bladed position. Baun earned a starting job, and the remainder is history.
The Wisconsin merchandise recorded 151 tackles, much than his archetypal 4 seasons combined, including 11 tackles for nonaccomplishment and 3.5 sacks. Baun forced 5 fumbles, the archetypal 5 of his career, and excelled successful sum with Pro Football Focus' apical people among 189 linebackers.
Baun besides delivered 1 of the signature moments of the Eagles' wild-card triumph implicit the Packers, snagging an interception from Jordan Love.
If astatine archetypal you don't succeed, try, effort again 😏@zackbizzaun | #FlyEaglesFly pic.twitter.com/iBquDngjPD
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) January 12, 2025It each culminated successful Pro Bowl and All-Pro selections for Baun, who went from a special-teamer to the apical grant astatine his presumption successful conscionable a year.
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Zack Baun contract
Baun is wrapping up a one-year, $3.5 cardinal woody with the Eagles, meaning he's acceptable to beryllium a escaped cause successful March if Philadelphia doesn't usage its franchise tag connected him.
It's harmless to accidental Baun is going to currency successful whether oregon not helium re-signs with the Eagles, but a recent comment by Eagles GM Howie Roseman indicates Philadelphia is going to combat hard to bring him back.
"You know, aft helium made first-team All-Pro, I went to him and I congratulated him and I said, ‘Man, you merit this,'" Roseman said. "And helium said, ‘Be honest. Did you deliberation determination was immoderate changeable of this?’ And I said, ‘F— no … and delight retrieve that erstwhile we bash your contract.’"
The usage of the connection "when" is definite to excite Eagles fans, but it mightiness not beryllium a fixed that Baun is back. "It takes 2 to tango," Baun told The Philadelphia Inquirer up of declaration talks.
Zack Baun stats
Season | Team | Games | Tackles | Sacks | TFL | Forced fumbles | INT |
2020 | Saints | 15 | 12 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
2021 | Saints | 17 | 30 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2022 | Saints | 13 | 16 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
2023 | Saints | 17 | 30 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 1 |
2024 | Eagles | 16 | 151 | 3.5 | 11 | 5 | 1 |
Career | 78 | 239 | 5.5 | 17 | 5 | 2 |
Baun's 2024 numbers are eye-popping compared to his clip with the Saints, arsenic helium bushed his tackle, sack, tackle for nonaccomplishment and forced fumble totals from those 4 seasons successful conscionable 1 twelvemonth with the Eagles. His numbers adjacent comparison rather favorably to Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly's 2013 Defensive Player of the Year season.
Zack Baun is softly the champion linebacker since Luke Kuechly 👀 pic.twitter.com/Yhbv5dEK3K
— DraftKings (@DraftKings) January 14, 2025