The inside linebacker market has stagnated a bit since Fred Warner and Shaquille Leonard‘s paydays in 2021. Only one player — Roquan Smith — has since eclipsed those deals, and the market saw two of its top AAVs (C.J. Mosley and Foyesade Oluokun) drop due to extensions that brought pay cuts last year.
This year’s free agency period is unlikely to feature any true threats to eclipse Smith, but one ILB transformed his market thanks to a 2024 breakthrough. Zack Baun went from a largely unproductive edge rusher — and a player who researched special-teamers’ deals as comps going into free agency last year — to a first-team All-Pro. Baun almost completed the inverse of the Haason Reddick emergence, as the former Eagle revitalized his career after being moved from ILB to an edge role.
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Baun finished the season with 151 tackles, five forced fumbles and 3.5 sacks. He added a regular-season INT and a pivotal Super Bowl LIX pick, which set up the Eagles deep in Chiefs territory ahead of a second-quarter touchdown. Baun’s breakout year will generate an interesting market, as he is 28 and has no prior history of consistent play. This could make some teams hesitant, but Baun certainly proved he fits in Vic Fangio‘s scheme. And he would like to continue developing in Philadelphia.
“I’m curious. I don’t know what it’ll look like, honestly,” Baun said of his second crack at free agency (via PHLY’s Zach Berman). “…Hopefully it’s here. I love this place. I appreciate what they’ve done for my career and my family — just everything. I got a lot of options to weigh.”
The Eagles have some important defensive pieces nearing the market. Josh Sweat is chief among them, with Milton Williams also out of contract. Mekhi Becton joins Baun in being interested in staying with the Eagles, who saw both bargain-bin 2024 FA signings raise their values in helping Philly to its second Super Bowl championship. While Becton plays a higher-valued position, Baun was one of the NFL’s best defenders last season, getting there on a $3.5MM contract. He will be looking for a significant raise soon.
Last year’s market saw two eight-figure-per-year free agent ILB contracts handed out. The Texans gave Azeez Al-Shaair a three-year, $34MM deal; the Steelers signed off on a three-year, $41MM Patrick Queen pact. These contracts respectively check fifth and seventh among off-ball LBs. Considering Baun is 28 and just put together a first-team All-Pro season to help a team to a championship, it would seem reasonable he could target that price range.
Philly is projected to hold more than $18MM in cap space, a mid-pack number three-plus weeks ahead of the 2025 league year. The team’s creative 2024 maneuvering on offense showed an ability to afford a number of pricey extensions, as void years and option bonuses flood Howie Roseman‘s payroll. If the Eagles lose Baun, they would have a glaring need at linebacker thanks to Nakobe Dean having suffered a patellar tendon tear in the wild-card round. The team has not devoted much in the way of funds to this position in recent years, but Dean’s latest injury provides a complication.
Williams mentioned (via Berman) a desire to stay in a winning situation. That is often not prioritized by players seeking second contracts, as this window represents a key opportunity to cash in. The Eagles also have both Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis signed for multiple additional seasons, should the team pick up Davis’ fifth-year option by May. Williams could be an odd man out, as the Eagles figure to be saving up to extend the Georgia alums down the line. This could certainly mean Williams’ best offers will come from other teams, and the four-year veteran did add he would want “a situation to as close as this as possible.”
More than two years younger than Baun, Williams will be 26 by Week 1 of next season. He finished his contract year with career-high marks in sacks (five) and QB hits (10). Pass rush win rate slotted the former third-round pick sixth among interior D-linemen, who added two sacks and a forced fumble in Super Bowl LIX. Like Sweat, Baun and Becton, Williams made some money this past season.
Elsewhere on the Super Bowl champions’ roster, Landon Dickerson is likely to undergo knee surgery (via the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane). The Pro Bowl guard left the NFC championship game with a left knee malady and played through it in the Super Bowl. The Eagles have the All-Pro guard signed to a position-record $21MM-per-year deal.
The Eagles should prioritize resigning Baun and Williams. If they can also resign Becton or Sweatt as well that would be a great bonus. Steen could fill in for Becton if they can’t resign him. Sweat may be too expensive especially with Huff still on the payroll.
So…sign everyone with no regard to your cap. Excellent take. Howie has noted this.
“(Player name) wants to stay with (team who just won superbowl)” is pretty much assumed.
I dunno. They may want to, but it will always come at the expense of having a larger contract (expect, perhaps, for the very top stars at their respective positions who also happen to win, which possibly then pushes other high end players out). These guys might want to stay with a Super Bowl winner, but they also want big deals, too. The team also can’t give all of them high end deals.
They will have to pick between getting more money or staying there; the question really isn’t whether they want yo stay with a Super Bowl winner or whether they want the highest possible deal, it’s which one they want more.
My team should sign (player name) as long as he has appeal like that Fan guy who wears #12 on the Seahawks.
Baun’s market is probably the one I’m most interested to see develop. Will he have multiple suitors and get to a double digit AAV or will he have a couple teams interested in one or two year deals with Philly unwilling to bid against themselves?
I think one thing that also helps Bain, aside from his play, is the lack of free agent options at interior linebacker.
Dre Greenlaw is probably the other top name that could hit open agency. He’s of comparable age and has been productive, despite a recent injury. Denver looks to be keeping Singleton, who would have been a good competitor for presumptive signers look at ILB in free agency. Not having him on the market as a cheaper option (older and off a significant injury) who plays a similar role limits the lower end signing selections for teams wanting some kind of boost. Denver might keep Cody Barton, too, and he had an excellent year filling in for Singleton. I don’t know if Bobby Wagner will stay in Washington, but he took on a leadership role and obviously can still play somehow at the highest level.
E.J. Speed and Robert Spillane are lower end options, I’d say, than the market that Baun’s looking at. It’s hard to see direct competition for him as an off ball linebacker in this offseason, given his youth and great season. Greenlaw might be the biggest competition for the top spot there, and Baun did outperform him last year, despite Greenlaw’s longer history.
You make a valid point there. If anything, this makes his free agency trip that much more intriguing to me.
Baun will probably be the first domino to fall. He had a nothing career then had one great year. That’s too risky for a new team to sign. He shouldn’t get any type of record breaking offer.
You then look to your draft. Historically what plug and play positions are around in the bottom.of the 1st and bottom of the second?
Guard you should be able to find in rd 2. You don’t spend a 1st or 2nd round asset on a depth defensive tackle. So then it comes down to your 1st rd pick, is it projected there will be DEs at pick 32 available? If not, try to re-sign Sweat. If you like the DE class let him walk.
G and depth DT can be replaced. Baun will be a huge but still affordable raise. Do you use your 1st on a DE or do you go best player available and re-sign Sweat? It comes down to your draft evaluation skills.
Philly moved to LB. Prior to that he was an edge player, albeit not a good one. So saying he’s had one good year is true but he seems to have the instincts and natural ability that helps an ILB excel more than it would show up as an a edge rusher.
If they can’t get Baun then they need to trade up and get a top coverage linebacker. Obviously there has to be one and a team willing, but with some young talent already in place, they have a chance this year to consolidate some picks and bring in good young talent and stay away from bad contracts. Move Huff for a pick if they can’t figure him out. Keep the young lineman coming in for injuries and Lane’s eventual departure.
Eagles have options for all free agents but linebacker. Dean will most likely miss the bulk of 2025 and Trots is too slow.