Zack Baun signed with the Eagles, 1-year/3.5M (2 Viewers)

[PBsWhodat]

I’ve heard the DL coach liked the bigger DEs and now that he’s gone we’ve changed that.

We have the same DL coach from last year. Where we rank bottom 10 in sacks. He’s not gone.

 

[sfidc3]

It really depends on how much he got paid and given that he really is a 3-4 OLB and the Eagles are a contender it probably would have cost a lot more to get him to stay here. Fact is he was never the right fit for this team. And given what pass rushers with like 4 sacks were getting yesterday, I doubt it was all that cheap of a deal.

Plus, even if they had Baun on the team they still need a big upgrade in the pass rush. Baun looked good at the end of the year, but who knows if he can sustain that over a 17 game season and it's a lot harder to get him pass rush opportunities in our scheme than in the Philly scheme. They need to take that money and start to upgrade the pass rush and find one or two more in the draft.

3.5 million a year for a potentially effective pass rusher that recently shined once given the opportunity and is a key ST player? You have to be joking....that is all that cheap.....and easily worth taking a chance on his potential....

This is a bad move.....period.....IMO

 

[J.T.]

Yes, assuming we don’t cancel him out with a signing.

What's the over/under on Baun's sack total in Philly?

3.5 million a year for a potentially effective pass rusher that recently shined once given the opportunity and is a key ST player? You have to be joking....that is all that cheap.....and easily worth taking a chance on his potential....

This is a bad move.....period.....IMO

I'm going to guess the Saints sign more "qualifying" free agents than they lose. I expect 1-2 Offensive Linemen and a Safety.

I put the over/under at 5.5 and take the over.

My guess is he wanted "out" and would have rejected the same offer from the Saints vs from Philly. He's hoping for the one year splash of maybe 8+ sacks and a 3-4 year deal for big money.

 

[abnrgr]

that’s a lot of money for a ST guy.

 

[B4YOU]

Saints will be lucky to have Baun qualify for a 7th round comp pick, which we will offset with an OG. Baun will have a breakout year with Philly on a one year deal and then sign a big free agent contract with somebody else. Philly will wind up with a 4th round comp pick in 2026 after losing him in free agency.

Exactly! Watch Baun get 7.5 sacks in a rotation on a Philly team that will run more 3-4 with Vic Fangio.

 

[Jesse Custer]

that’s a lot of money for a ST guy.

But not for a guy who's a skilled special teamer who in extremely limited pass-rushing action had 2 sacks and 3 pressures. Per-snap, he was by far our most effective pass-rusher.

 

[SuperSaint]

Strange move, on a team that struggled so much rushing the passer, letting a young potential impact player go that plays ST's as well?

Doesn't make sense...

The way the Saints manage the cap, they have to be rigid regarding player contracts, this stuff is all planned out years in advance, they have a pre-determined number they're willing to pay, and if they get a better offer somewhere else, buh-bye...

 

[TooDopeGoldRope]

One year deal... How come we couldn't offer that? But I would like to see the numbers.

I’m quite sure we are at least matching these offers. I think DA lost this locker room and guys would rather play for someone else.

Sean and Drew are gone. The aura is gone.

 

[football]

I’m quite sure we are at least matching these offers. I think DA lost this locker room and guys would rather play for someone else.

Sean and Drew are gone. The aura is gone.

Lost the locker room? I heard that since the end of the season and have yet to see hard evidence. Can you provide me anything that say the coaches have lost the lock room.

 

[oodank]

So basically we swapped out Baun for Willie Gay, maybe a better position fit. Championship pedigree player.

 

[sfidc3]

The way the Saints manage the cap, they have to be rigid regarding player contracts, this stuff is all planned out years in advance, they have a pre-determined number they're willing to pay, and if they get a better offer somewhere else, buh-bye...

3.5m for one year is nothing, a drop in the bucket.....sorry, still don't understand letting a young player that clearly has potential as a pass rusher on a team that desperately needs them, that is also a key ST player, go for peanuts.....oh well....

 

[sfidc3]

I'm going to guess the Saints sign more "qualifying" free agents than they lose. I expect 1-2 Offensive Linemen and a Safety.

I put the over/under at 5.5 and take the over.

My guess is he wanted "out" and would have rejected the same offer from the Saints vs from Philly. He's hoping for the one year splash of maybe 8+ sacks and a 3-4 year deal for big money.

Could be....but at this point I'd rather have Baun than Chase Young....oh well...

 

[SuperSaint]

3.5m for one year is nothing, a drop in the bucket.....sorry, still don't understand letting a young player that clearly has potential as a pass rusher on a team that desperately needs them, that is also a key ST player, go for peanuts.....oh well....

I agree, it's just the way they do things...

 

[St. Widge]

3.5m for one year is nothing, a drop in the bucket.....sorry, still don't understand letting a young player that clearly has potential as a pass rusher on a team that desperately needs them, that is also a key ST player, go for peanuts.....oh well....

I mean, it's a two way street. Maybe Baun just saw a better opportunity with Philly since he is a much better fit for there scheme and is likely to get many more snaps?

Willie Gay, Jr. is a pretty big upgrade over Baun as a LB. And Young may be lazy, but he's likely going to get you 7 to 8 sacks even as lazy as he is, and he fits our 4-2-5/4-3 scheme where as Baun was going to get very limited snaps on pass rush only downs. Baun is a better special teamer, but he was likely at best going to get 7-8 sacks too and for the money you add Gay who is a much better LB and can likely play special teams too.

I would have like to keep Baun as a situational pass rusher and special teamer, but I can see the logic behind replacing him with Gay and maybe Young. And it may be that he just had no desire to stay here given that he is not a scheme fit in New Orleans.

As much as you let go a guy that may be an up and comer, you replaced him with a guy who clearly is an up and coming LB. And, Gay may even have some untapped pass rush potential.