CONTRACT DEAL: Eagles agree to terms with Zack on a 1-year contract…

Zack Baun, a linebacker taken in the third round of the 2020 NFL Draft out of Wisconsin, told the New Orleans

media going into his last year of his rookie contract, “It is my time.”

The path for more playing time opened up for Baun after his brother, Eagles defensive tackle Noah Elliss, signed a

three-year contract with the Atlanta Falcons during the previous year’s free agency frenzy. He took advantage of this

by recording career highs in all categories, including his first career sacks (2) and interception (the first thrown by

No. 2 draft pick and eventual NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, C.J. Stroud). The Eagles were impressed by his play

in 17 games (6 starts), and on Wednesday, they reached an agreement to sign the 27-year-old linebacker to a one-

year contract.

The Saints described the 6-foot-3, 225-pound Baun as “an athletic, sideline-to-sideline linebacker, possessing the

combination of pass rush skills and ability to drop in coverage.” This past season, he played 301 defense snaps, a

career-high that was almost equal to the total of his previous three seasons. He went from being an edge rusher at

Wisconsin to a hybrid linebacker in the NFL. According to Pro Football Focus, the Saints unleashed him in the latter

six games of the 2023 season, rushing the quarterback 99 times, as opposed to 33 times in the first 11.

In addition to bringing a wealth of special teams experience—23 career tackles and a punt block in the 2023 season

opener versus Tennessee—Baun has played 62 games (14 starts) in his four NFL seasons.

all 14 games and finishing second in the Big Ten in both sacks (12.5) and tackles for loss (19.5). The native of Brown

Deer, Wisconsin, who ran for a state-record 39 touchdowns and totaled 59 touchdowns in 2014, was chosen the best

high school senior quarterback in the state.