It's almost impossible to overstate how important of an addition Zack Baun proved to be for the Philadelphia Eagles during their epic run to a victory in Super Bowl 60.
After signing a modest, one-year deal with the Eagles in free agency last offseason, Baun quickly established himself as a dominant defender in Vic Fangio's system, and he was a central part of the reason that the Eagles were able to claim the second Lombardi Trophy in franchise history.
In the Big Game, Baun led the Eagles with seven total tackles and he also added a defended pass, a QB hit and an interception. During the regular season, he recorded a team-high 151 total tackles, along with five forced fumbles, four passes defended, 3.5 sacks and an interception.
He was also just one of three players to record 140 or more tackles and six or more turnover plays, along with Germaine Pratt and Zaire Franklin, per Tom Pelissero. No wonder he was named a finalist for the NFL's Defensive Player of the Year award.
Zack Baun wants to continue his career as a member of the Philadelphia Eagles
Over the course of the campaign, Baun made Eagles general manager Howie Roseman look like a genius for signing him, and he also boosted his own stock in a major way. Now, he'll have plenty of options in free agency; certainly more than he had last year.
The Eagles will obviously want to bring back Baun, but they'll likely have some stiff competition for his services. Perhaps there will even be teams willing, or able, to offer more money than the Eagles. But, while this is obviously a concern for fans in Philadelphia, Baun made it clear that he would like to continue his career in the City of Brotherly Love.
"I'm curious. I don't know what it's going to look like honestly. My goal every time is to play the best football I can. Hopefully it's here. I love this place," Baun said of Philadelphia during his exit interviews from the season. "I really appreciate what they've done for my career, and my family and just everything. I've got a lot of options to weigh and a lot of stuff to think about."
Baun played the best football of his career during his sole season in Philly, and he was completely embraced by the fan base. So, it makes sense why he wouldn't want to go anywhere. Plus, Fangio has demonstrated that he knows how to maximize Baun's skill set, which isn't a given elsewhere.
Bringing back Baun should obviously be a priority over the offseason for the Eagles, who have already lost offensive coordinator Kellen Moore since their Super Bowl victory. The fact that Baun wants to remain in Philly bodes well for the Eagles, so hopefully the two sides can get a deal done.
In addition to Baun, the Eagles have several other key contributors headed for free agency, including Josh Sweat, Mekhi Becton and Milton Williams, among others. Some turnover is inevitable for the new defending champs, biut the more of those guys that they can bring back, the better.