N/S Zack Baun: Top Graded LB / DPOTW [Why Baun Isn’t Still a Saint Thread] (29 Viewers)

[SystemShock]

Same reason why Sam Darnold isn't still a Jet/Panther/49er.

 

[RaginCajun83]

Good for him

 

[Deuuuuce]

I personally don’t get bitter about players leaving and balling out for other teams. I think the only way I would be bitter, is if a former 1st rd pick, would be “mid” here, and then go bananas for another team. Even then, I probably wouldn’t care as much. The case of Baun is strange in a way though. The only question I have is, why couldn’t DA devise a defense that allowed Baun to see the field more, at least on passing downs?!?!

In the article i posted on the last page it talks about the Saints moving him all around and moving him from his natural position. Sounds like that hurt his confidence a bit because he thought he was good enough to be more than just a tweener.

“There was days in New Orleans where I just came home and cried,” Baun told Yahoo Sports during a recent interview in Philadelphia. “I played on the ball; now I’m off the ball. I made a couple mistakes and then I felt like I let myself down in that situation and I let the organization down in that situation. Then they moved me to [strongside linebacker] and then I’m like ‘Dang, they moved me. I must not be doing good.’ Then I’d make another mistake.

“It just snowballed in my head that I felt like I wasn’t good anymore.”

 

[MikeyF]

The Eagle's are now running a 3-4 under our old coach, Vic Fangio...

https://athlonsports.com/nfl/philadelphia-eagles/eagles-today/news/philadelphia-eagles-vic-fangio-best-situated-3-4-defense-breakdown

This D fits a LB like Braun a lot better than the 4-3.

It is another reason he made the jump this year.

 

[sfidc3]

In the article i posted on the last page it talks about the Saints moving him all around and moving him from his natural position. Sounds like that hurt his confidence a bit because he thought he was good enough to be more than just a tweener.

“There was days in New Orleans where I just came home and cried,” Baun told Yahoo Sports during a recent interview in Philadelphia. “I played on the ball; now I’m off the ball. I made a couple mistakes and then I felt like I let myself down in that situation and I let the organization down in that situation. Then they moved me to [strongside linebacker] and then I’m like ‘Dang, they moved me. I must not be doing good.’ Then I’d make another mistake.

“It just snowballed in my head that I felt like I wasn’t good anymore.”

I realize it’s a numbers game sometimes but DD was going to fall off at some point in the near future…..This is really just another indictment of the lack of vision and talent evaluation of DA, both the DC and HC…..thank god he is gone….

 

[Deuuuuce]

I realize it’s a numbers game sometimes but DD was going to fall off at some point in the near future…..This is really just another indictment of the lack of vision and talent evaluation of DA, both the DC and HC…..thank god he is gone….

Makes you wonder how many young guys are on our roster that might tear it up for other teams.

 

[TribuneUK]

I realize it’s a numbers game sometimes but DD was going to fall off at some point in the near future…..This is really just another indictment of the lack of vision and talent evaluation of DA, both the DC and HC…..thank god he is gone….

Again, did you really expect the Saints to give the transition tag* to a backup linebacker, to force them to stay, in readiness for when DD did eventually fall off?

* Transition tag for LB = $19.98m

Reminder that the Saints offered Baun a deal. He chose to leave, I'm glad it worked out for him.

But this has all been covered before. This thread is like a dreadful merry-go-round of poor reading comprehension.

 

[Saint KayBee]

I realize it’s a numbers game sometimes but DD was going to fall off at some point in the near future…..This is really just another indictment of the lack of vision and talent evaluation of DA, both the DC and HC…..thank god he is gone….

Baun would have been the third linebacker in a two-linebacker system here no matter who coached it.

The only solution would have been an entirely new scheme, and the whole focus of the prior two offseasons would have been to build the defense around a 3-4 scheme, and fans would have found a way to be frothingly unhappy about that, too. “They’re switching schemes for this guy? ”

 

[MikeyF]

Baun would have been the third linebacker in a two-linebacker system here no matter who coached it.

The only solution would have been an entirely new scheme, and the whole focus of the prior two offseasons would have been to build the defense around a 3-4 scheme, and fans would have found a way to be frothingly unhappy about that, too. “They’re switching schemes for this guy? ”

I'm not so sure about your first statement...
Werner sideline to sideline coverage isn't great so far.
He makes way to many tackles facing away from the line of scrimmage instead of in front of him...

A great example of this is the recent GB game.
He & DD led the team in tackles but the Packers rushed for 188 yards in the game.


Our LB don't make a lot of tackles at the line of scrimmage anymore.
Some of this is our DL getting pushed off of the ball & some of it is our LBs just not cutting off the running lanes.

As far as switching to the 3-4. Most fans have been clamoring for that D for awhile now.
Since you can run more variations out of it it would help us keep teams off balance more than the 4-2-5 that we use 90% of the time...

 

[Saint KayBee]

I'm not so sure about your first statement...
Werner sideline to sideline coverage isn't great so far.
He makes way to many tackles facing away from the line of scrimmage instead of in front of him...

A great example of this is the recent GB game.
He & DD led the team in tackles but the Packers rushed for 188 yards in the game.


Our LB don't make a lot of tackles at the line of scrimmage anymore.
Some of this is our DL getting pushed off of the ball & some of it is our LBs just not cutting off the running lanes.

As far as switching to the 3-4. Most fans have been clamoring for that D for awhile now.
Since you can run more variations out of it it would help us keep teams off balance more than the 4-2-5 that we use 90% of the time...

Davis and Werner are the starters, right?

The only alignment shift to make would have been from four down linemen to three. Which opens up either a 3-3-5 or a 3-4, and since Turner/Foskey aren’t three-down-linemen DEs, you have to re-orient to 3-4 so that they can stand up as OLBs in a platoon for each other. Going to a 3-3-5 wastes two roster spots. And then we’d have to see if Baun would be any good at the second level behind a less-talented front three, which was also not originally intended to play as such.

And the team would be doing this all for the guy whose highlight was that he caught an INT and fumbled it.

I’m just not sure how far back into the Redo Machine one would have to go to make this all work. It doesn’t matter at this point. It’s not a failure or an indictment of anyone. There were better veterans here and he chose to take less money for a chance to start. Good for him.

 

[sfidc3]

Baun would have been the third linebacker in a two-linebacker system here no matter who coached it.

The only solution would have been an entirely new scheme, and the whole focus of the prior two offseasons would have been to build the defense around a 3-4 scheme, and fans would have found a way to be frothingly unhappy about that, too. “They’re switching schemes for this guy? ”

Not necessarily, they could have rotated in Baun in obvious passing situations to replace DD….really good DC’s recognize great talent and find ways to implement schemes to make the most of it…..

I think it’s pretty clear that DA really didn’t know what we had in Baun….disagree all you want….

 

[sfidc3]

Again, did you really expect the Saints to give the transition tag* to a backup linebacker, to force them to stay, in readiness for when DD did eventually fall off?

* Transition tag for LB = $19.98m

Reminder that the Saints offered Baun a deal. He chose to leave, I'm glad it worked out for him.

But this has all been covered before. This thread is like a dreadful merry-go-round of poor reading comprehension.

No, i expected DA to maybe recognize a talented player and find a way to get him on the field…..I also feel they could have offered him more than the Eagles, maybe your superior reading comprehension can comprehend that…..

Also reading a bit about Baun’s treatment by DA here, it seems he never thought he was worth retaining anyway….comprende?

 

[Steve in Colorado]

Not only does this situation and the Hendrickson issue point to DA's failure, it also points to having a way- to- comfortable numbers guy as a talent evaluator at GM.

Loomis warrants just as much criticism as Allen in these complete failures in personnel evaluation and when to transition from aging veterans or failed high draft picks to younger or hungrier players.

 

[TribuneUK]

No, i expected DA to maybe recognize a talented player and find a way to get him on the field…..I also feel they could have offered him more than the Eagles, maybe your superior reading comprehension can comprehend that…..

Also reading a bit about Baun’s treatment by DA here, it seems he never thought he was worth retaining anyway….comprende?

1. They did find ways to get him on the field. But he didn't overtake DD or Werner.

2. Where is it reported that the Saints didn't offer more than the Eagles? You still can't refute the basic and self evidential truth that the player chose to try his luck elsewhere. Are you going to put a near-$20m tag on a rotational LB just to keep him?

3. So the coaching staff moved the player around in an attempt to find ways to get him on the field, as you demanded at the top of your post, and this actually contributed to him feeling uncertain about his abilities and deciding to go somewhere else? Oh, the irony! Maybe your blinding insight on point 1 isn't all that great after all.

I still think there is a reasonable debate to be had over whether, at the end of 2023, ZB was worth keeping based on future potential, meaning also deciding to ditch all pro LB and team leader DD. But if we're truthful with ourselves, rather than desperately rushing to berate the team over 'another former Saint that flourished elsewhere', that is a hard sell.

 

[jasonsw]

If Baun stayed it doesn't mean he would of been successful. In Philadelphia he benefits greatly playing on a very good defense. He probably got coached up also.

Either way it doesn't matter, if he did excellent Baun would be leaving