Spending big on a linebacker was never really in the cards for Philadelphia Eagles general manager Howie Roseman in the past. The veteran Zack Baun was good enough to change the front office leader's mind.
For Baun, he's grateful to be rewarded after such a strong season on the defensive side of the ball for the Eagles. At the time same time, the pressure is turned up for him to live up to the expectations of becoming the linebacker who got paid in Philadelphia when the position didn't seem as valued in the past.
"Definitely valued. Definitely appreciated, and we appreciate that as well," Baun told reporters this week, according to Zach Berman.
"It also comes with a lot of responsibility. There's a lot of money in our room now. And that's also a standard that was set in that room last year."
Baun helped lead a strong defensive unit for Philadelphia. The 28-year-old signed a one-year deal with the team and made it difficult for the Eagles to think about life without him after they watched him produce 151 tackles on the year through 16 games.
The heavy production didn't stop during the regular season. In the playoffs, Baun appeared in all four games, including the Eagles' Super Bowl LIX victory. Baun led the team in postseason tackles with 33. He also had two interceptions, one of which came during the Super Bowl against Patrick Mahomes, which put the Eagles' offense in the red zone immediately.
With a Super Bowl win, the Eagles knew key members of their roster could be flight risks in free agency as many overachieved consistently. Baun was on that list.
From 2020 to 2023, Baun started just 14 of the 62 games he played with the Saints. He totaled 88 tackles, two sacks, and one interception across four seasons. During his final season with the Saints, Baun tied his career-high in tackles with 30.
The Eagles saw something special in Baun and decided to bring him on with hopes that a promotion could help him reach new heights. It was evident they made the right choice. And since they spotted something special in Baun before he was registering over 150 tackles in a season, the Eagles wanted to continue their investment in the 28-year-old defensive star.
Baun is signed on with the Eagles for three seasons. He's expected to collect up to $51 million over that time, with over $30 million guaranteed. It's a contract that's well-deserved and appreciated by Baun, but he seems to understand that expectations are through the roof for the 2025 NFL season.