Reuben Frank and Dave Zangaro bring back Stay or Go in 2025, trying to figure out the futures of every Eagles player on the roster.
We already took a look at quarterback, running back, receiver, tight end, interior offensive line, offensive tackle, specialists, edge rusher and defensive tackle.
Up today: Linebacker
Zack Baun
Roob: This is priority No. 1, and as the year went on and Baun blossomed as one of the best off-ball linebackers in the league his price just continued to go up. I agree with Howie Roseman’s decision not to extend anybody during the season because of the risk of damaging the delicate locker room vibe when you extend one or two deserving guys but not a couple others. The Eagles had such a good thing going in the locker room this year there was no reason to risk changing anything. But in exchange for that you could lose guys you want to keep because their value keeps rising. That said, I’m confident Roseman will find a way to keep Baun, even if it means losing a couple other valued free agents. Spotrac estimates a deal in the $10 million-per-year ballpark, and for a playmaker like Baun that would be a bargain.
Verdict: Stays
Dave: Zack Baun needs to be the Eagles’ top priority this offseason and I expect that to be the case. The Eagles signed Baun to a one-year, $3.5 million contract last offseason and he ended up having one of the best years a linebacker has ever had in Philadelphia on his way to All-Pro and Pro Bowl nods. He was fifth in Defensive Player of the Year voting in his first season as a full-time starter at off-ball linebacker. Sure, Baun is 28 and it’s not really the Eagles’ style to pay linebackers huge money but it’s time to make an exception. Baun was such a difference-maker for the Eagles’ No. 1 defense in a Super Bowl season and it’s worth noting that Nakobe Dean probably won’t be ready for at least the start of the 2025 season. The Eagles can’t afford to start over at the position. Spotrac estimates Baun’s average annual value at under $10 million per season, which seems pretty low, putting him outside the top 10 at the position. The Eagles should be willing to give Baun a bigger deal than that but it’s also possible Baun might offer a slight hometown discount. Vic Fangio gave Baun this chance and he talked all year about how special Philly was to him. Both sides need to figure out a way to keep him in Philly.
Verdict: Stays
Oren Burks
Roob: Burks was a lifesaver playing in place of Nakobe Dean after his season-ending knee injury, and there are a lot of variables here – When will Dean be healthy? What happens with Baun? How highly do the Eagles regard Jeremiah Trotter Jr. – but Burks clearly has value as a backup linebacker and potential spot starter and a special teamer. I doubt Burks will be getting any big-time offers on the free agency market, so considering everything it makes sense to try to keep him, assuming the money is sensible.
Verdict: Stays
Dave: This was actually the hardest one for me. Baun is obviously the priority at the position but the Eagles should also try to bring back Burks for another one-year deal either way. While Burks played well in the playoffs, I’m not sure another team is going to offer him a multi-year deal based off that. If they do, then the Eagles will have to let Burks walk. But if he’s available for another one-year contract, it’s worth it to bring him back as a special teamer and for linebacker depth. Without knowing when Nakobe Dean will be ready to play, it would be helpful to have Burks in that spot to step up. Maybe Jeremiah Trotter Jr. is ready to be that next guy up. I’m hedging a bit by having both Baun and Burks listed as stay but I think that’s more likely than both being gone.
Verdict: Stays
Nakobe Dean
Roob: Dean’s injury came at the worst imaginable time for two reasons. First, he was playing at such a high level in his first season as a full-time starter when he got hurt in the postseason opener vs. the Packers you hated to see it happen. Plus when you get hurt that late in the season – Jan. 12 in this case – it can really jeopardize the start of your next season. Dean’s rookie deal is up after 2025, so the Eagles have to start thinking about his future. Which is a little trickier with a player coming off a serious injury. Will he be the same guy after the injury? There’s a lot to process, but a young linebacker and quality person like Dean is not someone you want to lose.
Verdict: Stays
Dave: Dean is facing a long road to recovery after tearing his patellar tendon in the Eagles’ wild-card win over the Packers. But in Year 3 of his career, Dean played really well and should still figure into the Eagles’ future at the position. In 2024, Dean was the Eagles’ full-time starting MIKE and while he was overshadowed at times by Baun, Dean was a big part of the Eagles’ defensive success. He had 128 tackles, 3 sacks, 9 TFLs and a game-sealing interception in 15 starts in the regular season. And his injury in the playoffs actually came on a TFL. It seems unlikely that Dean will be ready for the start of the season, which means he’ll probably start on the PUP list. But he’s not going anywhere and if he’s able to play in 2025, the Eagles will get him back in the starting lineup.
Verdict: Stays
Dallas Gant
Roob: Gant, Quinyon Mitchell’s college teammate at Toledo, was around the second half of the year on the practice squad and got into a couple games at the end of the year on special teams as a game-day call-up. He’s back on a futures contract so we’ll likely get a look at him at OTAs and training camp, but he’s facing a steep uphill battle to make the roster.
Verdict: Goes
Dave: The Eagles signed Gant to their practice squad in November after he spent his rookie training camp with the Vikings as a UDFA out of Toledo. Gant played the final two weeks of the regular season as a standard elevation and saw time on special teams. If Gant has a shot to make the roster in 2025, he’ll need to show that he can be a special teams ace. That makes him a long shot but a likely practice squad candidate again.
Verdict: Goes
Jeremiah Trotter Jr.
Roob: What we saw from Trott Jr. in his cameos on defense and nearly 300 snaps on special teams was encouraging. He just turned 22 and depending on what happens with Baun, Burks and Dean we could see a situation where Trotter needs to play on defense, and I think he’s got a chance to be pretty good. His instincts and intelligence are impossible to miss. He’s around the ball and rarely in the wrong place. At the very least, Trott will be a core special teamer for Michael Clay. I think there’s a good chance eventually he’ll be more
Verdict: Stays
Dave: The fifth-round pick from Clemson didn’t get a ton of time on defense in 2024 but still had an encouraging rookie season. When he did get some time on defense, Trotter looked the part. But his main contributions were on special teams. He finished third on the team in special teams snaps this season behind just Kelee Ringo and Oren Burks with 295 snaps. And in the playoffs, he was second on the team with 83 special teams snaps just two behind Ringo for the team lead. Trotter even had a big special teams tackle followed by an Axe Chop celebration. Still don’t know what the future hold for Trotter but he’ll definitely be back for Year 2.
Verdict: Stays
Ben VanSumeren
Roob: A healthy VanSumeren can fill a number of roles – core special teamer, occasional fullback, backup linebacker. Special teams will always be his main role, but the other stuff does increase his value, and he was playing a few snaps per game on offense before his season-ending knee injury at a practice in November. Good guy to have around.
Verdict: Stays
Dave: The Eagles’ special teams ace suffered a season-ending knee injury in late November and has been recovering ever since. VanSumeren said after the season that his goal is to be ready for minicamp this spring. While he’s not a lock to make the team, VanSumeren has been a useful player as a special teamer, a fullback on the offensive side of the ball and linebacker depth. VanSumeren expects to change his number in 2025 so he doesn’t have to report as eligible on every single play on offense. VanSumeren is an exclusive rights free agent so as long as the Eagles want him back, he’s not going anywhere.
Verdict: Stays
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