FANTASY FOOTBALL NEWS

Eagles Break Character, Pay Up for Zack Baun

By Matt Schauf | Updated on Wed, Mar 5 2025 8:03 PM UTC

The Eagles have agreed to a three-year contract with LB Zack Baun that will make him one of the league's highest-paid players at the position, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Baun gets $51 million total, with $34 million of that guaranteed and another $1.5 million available in incentives. The $17 million annual average trails only Baltimore's Roquan Smith, San Francisco's Fred Warner, and Chicago's Tremaine Edmunds among non-edge LBs. The move also marks a change for the Eagles, who have traditionally skimped on LB contracts under GM Howie Roseman. They let T.J. Edwards walk for big money in Chicago after his breakout across 2021 and 2022 (on his rookie contract). Baun arrived in Philly on a one-year, $3.5 million deal last offseason. The last "big money" LBs for the Eagles were Mychal Kendricks and Nigel Bradham back in 2019.

2025 Fantasy Football Impact

Baun was awesome in his first season as an NFL starter, with a team that finally figured out how to use him.

He arrived as a third-round New Orleans pick in 2020 after a college career spent mostly as an edge player. Baun looked like a much stronger candidate for an off-ball position in the pros, but he shuffled between reserve roles there and on the edge before hitting the open market last offseason.

This contract provides pretty clear confirmation that the Eagles believe him to be an elite player rather than simply the latest journeyman they maximized.

Baun just turned 28 on Dec. 30 and should be a good bet to stay effective through the life of this new contract.

He tops our early IDP rankings.

Dynasty Impact

The multi-year deal under longtime stud DC Vic Fangio also boosts Baun's fantasy outlook beyond this season.

Feel free to ride out the LB's useful years after you likely paid very little to get him in 2024.

Of course, just about anyone is also tradable if you get blown away with an offer.

Matt Schauf, Editor

Matt has earned two Fantasy Pros accuracy awards for IDP rankings and won thousands of dollars as a player across best ball, dynasty, and high-stakes fantasy formats. He has been creating fantasy football content for more than 20 years, with work featured by Sporting News, Rotoworld, Athlon, Sirius XM, and others. He's been with Draft Sharks since 2011.