The Philadelphia Eagles’ defense has been arguably the most impactful this season. Winning the turnover battle on that side of the ball has kept them in games and led to their Super Bowl 59 birth. As They head in to face the Kansas City Chiefs, a looming question lingers for the future. What do they do with soon-to-be free-agent linebacker Zack Baun? This seems like a no-brainer considering Baun’s production this season, but could they actually lose him?
Howie Roseman’s History With Free Agent Linebackers
TWSN’s Marrisa Myers gives a solid breakdown of Roseman’s history with linebackers. In particular, he historically undervalues the position. Despite Baun having an All-Pro caliber season, Roseman has always seemed to favor the front four over the linebackers at the second level. The Eagles have had Pro Bowl-caliber linebackers in the past who they have let walk for seemingly manageable contracts.
TJ Edwards had a career season in 2022, earning his first Pro Bowl nod. However, the Eagles let him walk that offseason and he signed with the Chicago Bears. Also, the previous year, Alex Singleton had a really solid season at the position, but the Eagles also chose to let him walk. Singleton signed a deal with the Denver Broncos in the offseason.
Will this be more of the same case with Baun? It would not be surprising if Baun receives a contract this offseason around or north of $10 million. If that is the case, one might think Baun may be the next casualty of being overlooked by Roseman, but is Baun really someone they can afford to let go of?
Baun By The Numbers
After having more of a complimentary role in New Orleans, Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio saw something in Baun. He was brought to Philly and taken under Fangio’s wing. So far, the experiment has paid off since Baun broke out in 2024.
The Linebacker tallied 151 combined tackles with 3.5 sacks and an interception. 93 of those tackles were solely due to Baun, along with 11 tackles for loss. He also tallied four pass deflections, five forced fumbles with a recovery, and five quarterback hits.
Baun asserted himself as one of the captains of the defense this year and has been a pivotal part of their Super Bowl run. Losing him would mean losing an effective player on the field as well as a locker room leader.
Also, the team has a reference of what happened when the team lost Edwards in 2022. The defense, and passing defense, regressed dramatically in 2023 in what was the most monumental collapse in the Hurts Sirianni era. Of course, losing Edwards was not the only reason for that collapse, but it certainly hurt not having an extra pass coverage player.
It’s time for Roseman to break tradition and pay a player at a position he has consistently undervalued. Baun has thrived in Fangio’s system and if there’s one area where Roseman has struggled as a GM. It’s maintaining Super Bowl contender status after appearing or winning one. Re-signing Baun could be the first step in changing that this offseason.
Main Image: Eric Hartline – USA Today Sports
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