Eagles re-signing All-Pro LB Zack Baun to a three-year contract before he hits free agency
Baun is being rewarded for his stellar season with a three-year deal reportedly worth $51 million, with $34 million guaranteed.
The Eagles agreed to terms with All-Pro linebacker Zack Baun on a three-year contract Wednesday, securing the future of one of their biggest free agents before he could hit the market next week.
ESPN was first to report the news of the deal, which reportedly will span three seasons and pay the 28-year-old $51 million, with $34 million guaranteed. His $17 million annual salary will rank fourth among the league’s linebackers going into free agency behind Fred Warner, Roquan Smith, and Tremaine Edmunds.
Joining the Eagles last offseason on a one-year deal worth $3.5 million, Baun quickly became one of the NFL’s best off-ball linebackers after converting from edge rusher in the summer. He started all 17 games last year and compiled a team-high 151 total tackles, five forced fumbles, 3½ sacks, one interception, and four pass breakups. He had two more interceptions in the postseason, including one in the Eagles’ Super Bowl LIX victory over the Kansas City Chiefs last month.
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Before signing with the Eagles, Baun spent the first four years of his career as an edge rusher and special-teams player who started 14 of his 62 games with the New Orleans Saints. Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio identified his potential to flourish with a position change last offseason when general manager Howie Roseman presented him as an option, leading to the team signing him early in free agency.
Baun’s stellar first season in the new spot led to his being named first-team All-Pro, earning his first Pro Bowl nod, and finishing fifth in defensive player of the year voting. His versatility to play from multiple alignments and his range in zone coverage were instrumental in Fangio’s system and led to the two forging a strong bond during the team’s Super Bowl run, Baun said.
“I think we have a lot deeper of a connection than he even thinks or either of us think,” Baun said. “We each know what we did for each other. We’re linked up for life; it’s awesome. I just thank him so much for embracing me, having a vision for me, and really holding me accountable to the things that I could accomplish.”
The move breaks Roseman’s tendency to divest resources from the linebacker position in favor of building along the defensive line. According to the online database Over the Cap, the Eagles have been in the bottom five in money spent at the position in the last five seasons, including last year, when they ranked 30th with $5.9 million allocated to linebackers.
Last week at the NFL scouting combine, though, Roseman acknowledged that bringing Baun back would be a priority this offseason.
“Obviously a phenomenal season — first-team All-Pro, top-five defensive player of the year,” Roseman said. “Tremendous person, tremendous character. Made a huge difference during the regular season, made a huge difference during the playoffs, made a huge difference in the Super Bowl. And so those are guys that you obviously want to keep. There’s no doubt about it. We’ll make a concerted effort to try to keep him here.”
Baun’s annual salary will take up a large chunk of the Eagles’ available cap space entering free agency next week with a few other key contributors from last year’s team, including defensive tackle Milton Williams and edge rusher Josh Sweat, set to test the market. The team will clear some space later in the spring by releasing Darius Slay and James Bradberry with post-June 1 designations, but was projected to have around $21 million in space according to OTC, entering next week.
Baun’s extension comes one day after the Eagles signed star running back Saquon Barkley to a lucrative two-year extension as well, securing another free-agency addition from last season who ignited the team’s Super Bowl run.
A third-round pick in 2020 out of Wisconsin, Baun noted his appreciation for the Eagles’ history after cleaning out his locker in February. He wore a medallion that belonged to Bill Bergey before the team’s NFC championship win over the Washington Commanders to honor the Eagles Hall of Famer who died last year. Roseman, who was loaned the pendant by Bergey’s son, Jake, initially gave Baun the necklace because he had just become the team’s first linebacker to be named All-Pro since Bergey did so in 1978.
Discussing that connection last month, Baun said he still had work to do to truly join Bergey’s stature within the organization.
“In my mind, I still have more to do,” Baun said. “To really cement myself in linebacker history with the Eagles, in my mind, one year is not enough.”
One year might not be enough, but now he’ll get a few more.