Philly Front Office

Right off the bat, to be clear, I do not think that the Eagles are going to trade Zack Baun. The easiest roster construction for linebacker in 2026 includes the Eagles letting Nakobe Dean walk in free agency, allowing Jihaad Campbell to take his place, and keeping Zack Baun in charge of the defense. It’s a seamless fit and makes people who like a good succession plan (me) sleep easy at night. But… the idea of NOT doing that is more compelling that you realize…

Episode 33: What We SHOULD Be Talking About

Moving Parts

Nakobe Dean didn’t blossom until his 3rd season in the league when it looked like the Eagles absolutely nailed that 3rd round pick from 2022. That same year though, Zack Baun went from free agent no one had ever heard of on a 1-year deal to 5th for DPOY. As both were leading the defense to its dominant status atop the league, Dean got hurt and hurt bad. Up to that point, it was a genuine question as to whether the team would re-sign Baun or let him test free agency. After Dean went down, it went from question to necessity. They could not afford to leave one season with 2 great LBs and then start the next with none.

This is when the Eagles pivoted. Baun re-signed for 3/$51m, a very solid but not bank breaking extension. Then they drafted Jihaad Campbell in the 2025 draft. The writing was on the wall that the team did not believe Dean would come back to being the player he was. They were half right. Dean was not the same, he came back better than ever. Unfortunately, he is now the free agent instead of Baun. What to do?

Oddly, the one most guaranteed of a roster spot with the Eagles next year is Campbell. He is a 1st round pick only in year two. They have him under control for 4 more years AND he’s only 22 (birthday is Feb 22, Happy B-Day Jihaad). He played very well last year in the absence of Dean, but then barely saw the field once he came back.

Dean’s Contract Value

Let’s start with Dean and his free agency first. Dean is very, very good and is only 25 years old. Unfortunately, he has an injury history, not that he would be setting any contract records at LB anyway.¹ That doesn’t mean you want him testing the market though considering it just takes one team to overpay (Cowboys). His two best comps are Nick Bolton of the Chiefs and not surprisingly Zack Baun. Bolton signed for 3/$45m last year just a few days after Baun got 3/$51m. Neither actually hit free agency though with both resigning with their respective teams. Dean should expect a deal within that range. Something like that would likely net a comp pick in the 4th to 5th round valuation.

One thing to note about Dean is that he has been the leader of his Georgia teammates for a long time. Jordan Davis, Jalen Carter, and Nolan Smith have had Dean behind them on the defensive line since before they were National Champions in 2021. This is not nothing when trying to consider the Eagles state of mind in possibly resigning the LB.

Eagles Offseason Part 2: Extensions

Baun’s Trade Value

When the Eagles signed Baun, his contract came with a $15.5m bonus that the Eagles will still be responsible for in terms of salary cap. However, the rest of the contract is up for grabs. What I mean is that the majority of the remaining money on the deal is in the form of yearly option bonuses. The Eagles would be on the hook for the left-over signing bonus while an acquiring team would need to pay roughly $17m cash in salary and option bonus.

However, that option bonus prorates over the rest of the deal meaning that a new team would only pay around $4m in 2026 cap hit for Zack freaking Baun! That’s a steal. How much is a discount like that worth? Well, Baun just turned 29 and turned in another Pro Bowl season even if it didn’t hit the heights of his 2024 1st Team All Pro year. His 2027 salary is also non-guaranteed, so a team would not be asked to take on long term risk here.

I wish I could say there is a ton of examples of inside LBs going for high prices, but the position is barren in terms of trade comps. In the last 10 years, it is basically Roquan Smith going from the Bears to the Ravens and then a bunch of nothings. Smith was traded for a mid-type player, a 2nd, and a 5th, but was also going to need a brand new, top-of-the-market contract. It’s not a great comparison, but it is all we have. At best, the Eagles are probably looking at a similar deal highlighted by a 2nd round pick.

It is important to know that trading Baun before June 1 results in a $13m cap hit ($5.5m more than if he stays) while trading him after June 1 and thus missing the 2026 draft results in only a $3m cap hit ($4.5m less than if he stays) in 2026 and around $10m in 2027.

NFL Salary Cap 101

The Unthinkable

Let’s recap…

Option A: Keep Baun, let Dean walk, and start Campbell. This means you keep the more decorated older player while letting the younger player but leader of your defense go for a Day 3 comp pick next season.

Option B: Trade Baun, re-sign Dean, and start Campbell. This means trading the older player for a Day 2 pick next season but keeping the more injury prone player.

What about Option C? Keep Baun ($7.5m cap hit), resign Dean (probably around $4m cap hit), with Campbell as the top backup for another year. This sidelines your 2025 top pick another season (barring injury) but ensures the best possible LB tandem for the foreseeable future with Baun gone come 2027 and Campbell taking over at the ripe old age of 24. I’m not trying to do Baun dirty, but with a non-guaranteed 2027 contract, the Eagles could trade him or release him as they see fit when the time comes.

Honestly, I don’t see any major red flags to any of these scenarios. The Eagles are in a good spot. We will likely know their plan sooner rather than later. If Dean actually hits free agency without an extension, I highly doubt he’s coming back and we are firmly in Option A. If he gets extended before free agency though, Options B and C are in play. There would be no timetable on a Baun move, but I would expect a trade after June 1 for cap reasons. Now we just wait and see.

1. The LB market is a strange one. Roquan Smith signed a 5/$100m deal in 2023 and no one has come close since. ↩︎