Report: Eagles have Zack Baun as a 'priority' to re-sign

The Eagles really want to keep their breakout linebacker, per a report ahead of NFL Free Agency.

By Nick Tricome
PhillyVoice Staff

Bill Streicher/Imagn Images

The Eagles would prefer to keep Zack Baun around.

The Eagles have several key players headed for free agency when the new league year begins on March 12. 

They know they're not going to keep all of them, but they do want to try and hold on to breakout linebacker Zack Baun, who The Philadelphia Inquirer's Jeff McLane reported as the Eagles' "priority" to sign before free agency opens. 

The 28-year-old Baun left the Saints to sign a one-year deal with the Eagles last spring, and under defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, he rapidly grew into arguably the greatest steal of the offseason. 

He collected a career-high 3.5 sacks and a team-leading 151 tackles, graded out at an NFL-leading 90.1 on Pro Football Focus among all linebackers, got selected to his first Pro Bowl, his first All-Pro First Team, and had a nomination for Defensive Player of the Year. 

Then in the playoffs, he recovered a fumble against the Rams, forced one out against the Commanders, and in the Super Bowl, picked off Patrick Mahomes on the first play of a crucial drive where the Kansas City offense was already struggling. The Eagles flipped that into the A.J. Brown touchdown that put them up 24-0, and well on the way to their second-ever Lombardi Trophy. 

And Baun proved a critical piece to that journey.

His breakout year in Philadelphia more than likely upped his price tag for the open market, but the Eagles might be in a spot where they would want to hit that number.

Nakobe Dean took major strides as a linebacker this season, too, but he's rehabbing from a knee injury that will take a while to come back from. Plus, there's already a known fit and clear comfort in Fangio's defense, and looking further down the depth chart, Oren Burks is set for free agency as well, and Jeremiah Trotter Jr. probably needs a couple more years of development.

One of the greater strengths of the Eagles' defense on the way to the Super Bowl this past season was through their consistently solid linebacking play, which took away many opponents' ability to work the middle of the field with medium-yardage plays. 

They've also seen what it's like when that position group gets stretched too thin. The defense bled yards and got picked apart as they spiraled through the back half of 2023, which left them missing T.J. Edwards from the year prior much more than they realized. 

So it's important for general manager Howie Roseman to keep the Eagles as stocked as possible at linebacker, which, understandably, adds up to wanting to keep Baun. 

https://www.phillyvoice.com/eagles-news-zack-baun-contract-signing-priority-linebacker-nfl-free-agency-rumors-howie-roseman/

Would love to see the news that he is re-signed on the first day that's possible. Would be a relief.

11 minutes ago, NOTW said:

Would love to see the news that he is re-signed on the first day that's possible. Would be a relief.

So is it not an option for us to re-sign him yet? Is he technically no longer an Eagle at this point? So in other words he’s definitely going to get to hear other offers before deciding where he’s going. But yeah I completely agree I hope it is confirmed as soon as it can be.

23 minutes ago, NOTW said:

Would love to see the news that he is re-signed on the first day that's possible. Would be a relief.

It's possible now.  

Would just love to see him inked before March 10th (when the "legal tampering" period begins).

4 minutes ago, time2rock said:

It's possible now.  

Would just love to see him inked before March 10th (when the "legal tampering" period begins).

Oh thank god! I mean at this point he’s probably being advised to wait for legal tampering but it would be great if we could sign him before it gets to that.

2 minutes ago, UK_EaglesFan89 said:

Oh thank god! I mean at this point he’s probably being advised to wait for legal tampering but it would be great if we could sign him before it gets to that.

I'm sure his agent and Howie are going back and forth.  Hopefully it gets to a point where Zack steps in and says "I am comfortable with this ... just get it done".  

54 minutes ago, UK_EaglesFan89 said:

So is it not an option for us to re-sign him yet? Is he technically no longer an Eagle at this point? So in other words he’s definitely going to get to hear other offers before deciding where he’s going. But yeah I completely agree I hope it is confirmed as soon as it can be.

I wasn't sure when that officially starts, time2rock answered that it's now. I just meant I want to see them sign him asap and not have him entertain other offers. It would be great news to see that done early and put to bed.

22 hours ago, UK_EaglesFan89 said:

So is it not an option for us to re-sign him yet? Is he technically no longer an Eagle at this point? So in other words he’s definitely going to get to hear other offers before deciding where he’s going. But yeah I completely agree I hope it is confirmed as soon as it can be.

He’s under contract (and therefore technically still an Eagle) until the new league year starts March 12th.  No other team is allowed to contact him until the legal tampering period begins (March 10th).  Until then we have exclusive negotiating rights.