Good morning blog

I'm curious what a HoneyBuns offense would look like in 2025

5 straight days of playoff football.

 

 

 

2 hours ago, NCiggles said:

Arguably, Howie has learned his lesson by trying to fill the LB role with patchwork FA's and mid-round draft picks.  Baun is 28 and has shown enough this season to know that he will be productive if he stays healthy.  I think a 4 year deal with an out for the Eagles after the 2026 season would make sense for the team.  This allows the team to draft LB's this year and let them develop.  

I don’t think Baun is going to accept a 2 year deal though.

He was the best LB in the NFL this year. Some team is going to give him a huge 4 year contract.

Probably should’ve punted on the question.

 

1 hour ago, DaEagles4Life said:

Michigan is trying to convince Barham to move to Edge because Scouts think he will be better suited there

Sounds a bit like Baun…

2 hours ago, NCiggles said:

Your analysis glosses over the biggest difference between keeping Baun over Williams and that is the cost.  Williams is likely looking at an average salary over $10 million and Baun is going to be under $10 million. Williams will also be able to get a 5 year deal with more guaranteed money.  No one is going to give Baun that kind of deal.  So the cost of keeping both Williams and Becton is much higher and has a longer term impact than keeping Baun. Signing Williams also impacts keeping Jordan Davis and to some extent Jalen Carter. 

 Baun is an every down player on the defense.  Williams is rotational. Williams also is overrated, I think, by people on this board, in part, because he makes plays in the backfield.  He also gets washed out at time in the run game.  He struggled last season a lot in run defense.  Ojomo has looked better than Williams at times. Any player at DT playing next to Carter, is going to look better for it.  

I think Baun is going to clear $10M APY easily. Nigel Bradham got $8M APY almost 7 years ago and Baun has been better. 

1 hour ago, HazletonEagle said:

I prefer the added threat of a QB running.  I wish it came packaged with better actual QB skills.  Of course,  then,  maybe I'd agree that the arm is too valuable too be exposing the QB to those hits.

As it is now,  with the QB we have, we NEED him to run to maximize the effectiveness of his offense. This offense doesn't work without the threat of his legs.

And we can afford an injury because we do have a valuable arm backing him up. The offense then looks way different,  but remains effective. 

I prefer the added threat of the run as well. But if you’re going to give your QB a running back’s wear and tear, then you should treat the position more like running back and have a rotation.

Get at least 2 QBs who can run and pass, and try to lighten the punishment on your primary guy.

6 minutes ago, LeanMeanGM said:

I think Baun is going to clear $10M APY easily. Nigel Bradham got $8M APY almost 7 years ago and Baun has been better. 

Baun likely wouldn't get Roquan/Warner/Edmunds money at $18-20M per season, but would he get offered Milano/Queen/JOK money at $12.5-14M AAV?

I would guess since he's only had one season of big production that he'll be offered $11-12M range AAV.

1 hour ago, HazletonEagle said:

I prefer the added threat of a QB running.  I wish it came packaged with better actual QB skills.  Of course,  then,  maybe I'd agree that the arm is too valuable too be exposing the QB to those hits.

As it is now,  with the QB we have, we NEED him to run to maximize the effectiveness of his offense. This offense doesn't work without the threat of his legs.

And we can afford an injury because we do have a valuable arm backing him up. The offense then looks way different,  but remains effective. 

Whole-heartedly agree.

Worth adding about injury: a QB is much more likely to be injured in the pocket than out of it. There have been any number of statistical breakdowns documenting this. When a QB runs he can protect himself by getting down, which he can't do in the pocket. There, he has to stand in and take the hit.

Here's an interesting stat: while Hurts gets sacked more than a lot of QBs, he gets knocked down less often, less often, in fact, than getting sacked. https://www.fantasypros.com/nfl/advanced-stats-qb.php Highly unusual.

To return to HE's excellent point: Hurts is a very good player because of what he does. It's a waste of time to criticize him for what he doesn't do. He fits the offense. We beat teams up; we wear them down; we control the clock; we protect our defense by keeping the ball - almost five minutes more per game than our opponents. Those things are not much highlighted but it explains at least in part why Jalen Carter plays such a high percentage of snaps - it's because the defense as a whole plays fewer snaps than any other team (except, maybe, the Chargers).

1 hour ago, beto_eagles said:

I have a feeling he'll be traded, especially if he signs Williams. 

The two are not interchangeable.

2 hours ago, garingovt2000 said:

For some reason I thought Cine wasn't a very good athlete.  Although as graph shows that doesn't always translate.

Neither are CBs.  

39 minutes ago, LeanMeanGM said:

I think Baun is going to clear $10M APY easily. Nigel Bradham got $8M APY almost 7 years ago and Baun has been better. 

Those plans have likely changed, as Baun is expected to strike it rich if he’s allowed to hit the open market. Marcus Mosher of the 33rd Team recently predicted that his next contract will hit $10 million in average annual value. Here was Mosher’s take on what his next deal could look like:

 

"The higher-end deal would be $13.5 million in average annual value, which is what Patrick Queen received this offseason from the Steelers. However, Queen was a much younger player (24) with first-round draft capital. Instead, look for a deal similar to what Bobby Okereke received from the Giants, which came in at $10 million AAV … If Baun continues to post huge numbers in Fangio’s defense, it wouldn’t be a shock to see him reach $10 million per season on the open market.”

https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nfl/philadelphia-eagles/news/eagles-zack-baun-predicted-land-massive-pay-raise-2025-nfl-free-agency/382846e9084f438567d32ff2

 

id also say Baun easily gets 10 possibly 11-12 a year after the season he had.. if he comes down with defensive player of the year maybe even more. 

2 minutes ago, Cheesteakitis said:

 

Those plans have likely changed, as Baun is expected to strike it rich if he’s allowed to hit the open market. Marcus Mosher of the 33rd Team recently predicted that his next contract will hit $10 million in average annual value. Here was Mosher’s take on what his next deal could look like:

 

"The higher-end deal would be $13.5 million in average annual value, which is what Patrick Queen received this offseason from the Steelers. However, Queen was a much younger player (24) with first-round draft capital. Instead, look for a deal similar to what Bobby Okereke received from the Giants, which came in at $10 million AAV … If Baun continues to post huge numbers in Fangio’s defense, it wouldn’t be a shock to see him reach $10 million per season on the open market.”

https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nfl/philadelphia-eagles/news/eagles-zack-baun-predicted-land-massive-pay-raise-2025-nfl-free-agency/382846e9084f438567d32ff2

 

id also say Baun easily gets 10 possibly 11-12 a year after the season he had.. if he comes down with defensive player of the year maybe even more. 

I'd think $10M is the floor if he stays with the Eagles and gives a bit of a discount. If he hits the open market I'd think it would be closer to $12M.

It will be interesting to see what happens. Baun has said multiple times he likes being here and wants to be here. At the same time, he's been in the league for 5 years now and has a career earnings of $9M. At just turning 28 two weeks ago, this is going to be his one opportune chance to make money and get his premium contract. If I had to lean I'd say he sticks around here, but we'll see.  

1 hour ago, e-a-g-l-e-s eagles! said:

Probably should’ve punted on the question.

 

Problem with media is they think nothing is off limits.  I agree with Sean, Eagles in the playoffs and these jackoffs want to discuss personal grooming.  What f’ing idiots.

3 hours ago, MrFadedGlory said:

I think it  may be a bit easier to find another Becton that it  will be to find another Baun.

Although they’ll probably be 2-5 years older than Becton, a o-lineman on the outs with his team, his starting job/role in question, injury concern, salary dump. 
 

Baun was lightning in a bottle. An undersized 3-4 OLB/DE with the ability to wrap up and attack sideline to sideline with speed and agility. That find was from the eyes above and scouting. Becton fell into the eagles lap.

And Becton will be getting more APY than Baun…I think. Some team could go crazy and do 3/40-4/50 on Baun tho.

they both definitely deserve it. And for Baun, without having a 1st round pedigree, he’d have to take it. Life changing money for his family, zero worry about money for the rest of his life in a brutal sport were the players have a 3 year avg. career.

I don't think Baun was found by anyone else but Vic. Howie and the rest of the management & personnel dept had Baun pegged as special teamer/situational pass rusher. Vic is the mastermind here and deserves the credit. 

28 minutes ago, BigEFly said:

Problem with media is they think nothing is off limits.  I agree with Sean, Eagles in the playoffs and these jackoffs want to discuss personal grooming.  What f’ing idiots.

I would bet it was a scripted call

1 hour ago, LeanMeanGM said:

Good morning blog

Whatever happened to that guy who kept talking about Devonta Smith playing Defensive tackle and Cooper Dejean being a kicker and would constantly bring up people’s RAS scores as a rebuttal to everything? That dude just suddenly disappeared one day

56 minutes ago, just relax said:

To return to HE's excellent point

This marks the first time I've seen these words composed in this order

4 minutes ago, Aerolithe_Lion said:

Whatever happened to that guy who kept talking about Devonta Smith playing Defensive tackle and Cooper Dejean being a kicker and would constantly bring up people’s RAS scores as a rebuttal to everything? That dude just suddenly disappeared one day

 

3 minutes ago, LeanMeanGM said:

Gotta say his name three times for him to appear. Like beetlejuice 

8 minutes ago, Aerolithe_Lion said:

Whatever happened to that guy who kept talking about Devonta Smith playing Defensive tackle and Cooper Dejean being a kicker and would constantly bring up people’s RAS scores as a rebuttal to everything? That dude just suddenly disappeared one day

If you say RR 3 times he might appear. Keep his name out of here.

1 minute ago, e-a-g-l-e-s eagles! said:

Gotta say his name three times for him to appear. Like beetlejuice