Prior to the 2024 season, most people didn’t think twice about Zack Baun hitting free agency. In the fifth-year of his NFL career, Baun exploded with 151 tackles and 3.5 sacks on the year. With the Arizona Cardinals in desperate need to strengthen their defense, it would make a ton of sense for them to go and pay up for Baun.
With such a late breakout, Baun is already 28 years old. Having spent the first four years of his career with the New Orleans Saints, Baun has only been with the Eagles for a year now. While there’s no denying the Eagles have helped Baun out a ton, the NFL is a business.
Zack Baun Will Not Re-Sign With the Philadelphia Eagles
Now that Baun has won a Super Bowl, there’s likely one more objective on his mind. Get paid. Depending on the length of his next contract, this could be the last one for Baun. It’s not like Baun is extremely old, but when you’re nearing 30, these kinds of thoughts start to creep in.
Of course, the Eagles would love to have Baun back, but they need to think about their future as well. Having one of the most talented rosters in the NFL means that there are a lot of guys who need to get paid. As good as Baun is, there are quite a few other players who the Eagles should prioritize first.
Joining the Arizona Cardinals
The Cardinals would make a ton of sense for Baun based on their cap space situation and the team’s current need. According to Over the Cap, the Cardinals are set to have the fourth most cap space in the league at over $75 million dollars.
The Cardinals ranked 16th in the NFL for points allowed per game, which is definitely something that needs improvement. Baun would take over for Kyzir White, who has been one of the weak links on this defense.
White was a former fourth-round pick in 2018 and has failed to make much of an impact since. Using PFF, White has never graded above 68 in a single season and 2024 was a rough year for him. With a score of 48.8, White ranked 79th out of 84 linebackers. With money to spend, it would make perfect sense for the Cardinals to plug that weakness with Baun.
