Zack Baun Continues Producing Both On And Off The Field
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - SEPTEMBER 21: Zack Baun #53 of the Philadelphia Eagles reacts against the Los Angeles Rams at Lincoln Financial Field on September 21, 2025 in Philadelphia, United States. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
To say the Philadelphia Eagles struck gold when it comes to Zack Baun is an understatement.
Throughout the history of the Eagles, at least in the Jeffrey Lurie era, they’ve been known as a team that focuses on certain aspects of a football team. Excluding some experimental years in the early 2010s, the Eagles were built around a strong pass rush led by edge rushers and defensive tackles, with solid secondary weapons on defense. And on offense, stacking the offensive line, protecting the quarterback, and running the ball.
They’ve thrown some and invested in some elite pass catchers in that time, whether it was in the wide receiver or tight end room, but throughout the last thirty years of Eagles football, one position room has always gone unnoticed. The linebacker room, more in particular, the inside linebacker room.
Inside linebacker has been a spot where the Eagles feel like they don’t have to invest serious capital, whether it’s draft picks or in free agency. Year after year, the Eagles make it a priority to have studs rushing the quarterback and lockdown defensive backs, and the coverage linebackers are always a second thought.
That was until they hit a home run during free agency last year. Going into the 2024 season, the Eagles had question marks about who would start at middle linebacker. The presumptive pick was Devin White, who signed a one-year $7.5 million deal in free agency and was with the starters for the majority of training camp.
However, things changed as another newcomer started to take his snaps and eventually his job. Meet Zack Baun, a fifth-year linebacker out of Wisconsin, who spent his entire rookie deal with the New Orleans Saints. Baun was mainly used as an edge rusher with the Saints, a role in which he struggled heavily.
As a free agent, Baun decided to sign a one-year prove-it minimum deal to play under the new Eagles defensive coordinator, Vic Fangio, and transition to an off-the-ball linebacker. That seemed to work as Baun won the starting job out of camp and never looked back.
Baun put together an incredible season, totaling 151 tackles, 3.5 sacks, and forcing five fumbles. That earned him first-team All-Pro honors, and he finished fifth in Defensive Player of the Year voting, along with helping the Eagles win Super Bowl LIX.
Following the 2024 season, Baun entered free agency once again, and the Eagles made it known right away that they didn’t want their new stud going anywhere. Philadelphia did a rare move, signing Baun to a three-year, $51 million contract extension, with $34 million guaranteed. It was the largest deal the Eagles had ever given out to a linebacker in the team’s history.
For once, the Eagles were investing big-time assets into a position they rarely had prior, and come April, this did it once again. In the 2025 NFL draft, the Eagles used their first-round pick to select linebacker Jihaad Campbell, pairing Campbell with Baun to create one of the deadliest linebacker duos in the NFL.
Campbell has been worth the hype, as through the first four games of the 2025 season, he’s been rated as one of the top-rated rookies, posting an impressive 22 tackles, one interception, a forced fumble, and two pass deflections.
Following the win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Baun spoke about how incredible “I don’t even think he knows what he’s doing or what he’s capable of doing,” Baun said. “He just keeps getting better and better. That’s his mindset.”
What has caused the incredible play? A large part has been Campbell learning the ropes of the league through Baun. This past Sunday was a prime example of that as Campbell allowed a 72-yard touchdown from Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving, and Baun went over to Campbell, stressing him to shake off the play. A couple of drives later, Campbell ended up grabbing his first career interception with Tampa Bay on the verge of scoring.
While Campbell is obviously a great player, Baun’s insight into playing the position at the next level has been monumental in his development.
On top of being a great teammate, Baun is once again putting together an All-Pro-type season. In four games, Pro Football Focus has him ranked as the sixth-best linebacker in the league. He’s second on the Eagles in tackles with 30, and has also recorded one sack, one interception, and one forced fumble.
He’s helping the Eagles not only through his production on the gridiron, but he’s already become an influential member of this team through just one and a quarter seasons. He’s the perfect leading man to lead the Eagles’ defense and rising linebacker room.
On top of the duo of Campbell and Baun, the Eagles have solid depth in youngsters Jeremiah Trotter Jr. and rookie Smael Mondon Jr., as well as fourth-year linebacker and former starter Nakobe Dean returning from injury in the coming weeks. Dean was an excellent starter for nearly the entirety of 2024, and should only improve this group when he is ready to go.
Matt Brown
Matt has been a Philadelphia sports fan all his life and spent four years at Penn State University majoring in Broadcast Journalism and minoring in Sports Studies. He previously covered Penn State’s field hockey, men’s and women’s basketball, and baseball teams while writing for a Penn State blog called Onward State. He has now covered the Phillies, Eagles, and Sixers for Philly Sports Reports since October 2024 and wants to pursue a career in Sports Journalism.
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