Tag: Zack Baun

Former Wisconsin linebacker discusses breakout season with Eagles

Former Wisconsin linebacker discusses breakout season with Eagles

Former Wisconsin Badgers linebacker Zack Baun shared some insight on his breakout season with NFL Network’s Good Morning Football on Wednesday.

After registering a game-best 15 tackles in the Philadelphia Eagles’ win over the Washington Commanders on Nov. 14, Baun was named the NFC’s Defensive Player of the Week for Week 10.

While it was just one performance, the game served as a microcosm for his dominant 2024 season with the Eagles.

After playing four seasons with the New Orleans Saints from 2020-2023, Baun has assumed off-the-ball linebacker duties in Philadelphia. That change has led to Baun finding dominant form.

Through 10 games, Baun has recorded 102 total tackles, three forced fumbles and three sacks for Vic Fangio’s defensive unit. The West Bend, Wisconsin native spoke on how he’s found success in the new role.

“I was a receiver at West Bend East, then I was a quarterback at Brown Deer and an outside linebacker at Wisconsin,” Baun said. “It’s been the transitions all throughout that have helped me make this transition off the ball. The transition is nothing new for me. I’m just a football player. I love football, and I love the game. If I’m out there, I’m trying to be the best and do the best.”

At this trajectory, Baun will be an All-Pro at the linebacker position. He ranks fifth in the NFL in total tackles and is unquestionably the most impactful player on the Eagles’ defense.

At 8-2, the Eagles lead the NFC East and don’t appear to be slowing down. They will face a hungry Los Angeles Rams team on Nov. 24 on Sunday Night Football.

Former Wisconsin linebacker continues dominant 2024 season with Eagles

Former Wisconsin linebacker continues dominant 2024 season with Eagles

Former Wisconsin linebacker Zack Baun delivered another signature performance for the Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday Night Football.

After being named the NFC’s Defensive Player of the Week on Wednesday, Baun captained the Eagles defense to its sixth straight win in a 26-18 victory over the division rival Washington Commanders.

Baun recorded 15 tackles, one tackle for loss and one pass deflection in the triumph. He also denied Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels from moving the chains on a key fourth-down play late in the fourth quarter.

Down 12-10 at the Eagles’ 26-yard line, Washington elected to go for it on the short fourth-down sequence with hopes of reaching the end zone and shaving time off the clock. Daniels fielded the snap and scrambled to the right before Baun fended off an offensive lineman and executed the tackle.

Here’s the full play:

On the season, Baun has now recorded 102 total tackles, an NFL-best 64 solo tackles, five tackles for loss, three forced fumbles, two sacks and one interception.

The season for Baun is nothing short of incredible. In four seasons with the New Orleans Saints, Baun notched just 88 total tackles. In just one season, he has suddenly turned into one of the best inside linebackers in the NFL.

Baun will be back in action on Nov. 24 when the Eagles face off against the Los Angeles Rams.

Two former Wisconsin linebackers named NFL Players of the Week

Two former Wisconsin linebackers named NFL Players of the Week

Former Wisconsin linebackers Zack Baun and Leo Chenal were named NFL Players of the Week on Thursday.

Baun earned the ‘NFC Defensive Player of the Week’ designation for his contributions in the Philadelphia Eagles’ 34-6 victory over the Dallas Cowboys on Nov. 10.

In that contest, the UW alumnus recorded eight tackles, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and one tackle for loss. In nine games, Baun ranks No. 11 in the NFL in total tackles with 87. He has also notched two sacks and one interception as the Eagles’ most dominant linebacker this season.

ProFootballFocus has also awarded Baun with the highest grade of any linebacker across the NFL from Weeks 8-10.

Baun joined Arizona Cardinals’ quarterback Kyler Murray and Detroit Lions’ kicker Jake Bates on the NFC ‘Players of the Week’ batch of studs from Week 10.

Chenal, meanwhile, was almost a no-brainer for ‘AFC Special Teams Player of the Week’ after what he did against the Denver Broncos on Sunday.

He joined Baltimore Ravens’ quarterback Lamar Jackson and Buffalo Bills’ cornerback Taron Johnson in the AFC ‘Players of the Week’ cohort for this week.

Chenal, who played at UW from 2019-2021, clinched the Kansas City Chiefs’ 15th straight win with a blocked field goal as time expired at Arrowhead Stadium.

The sequence occurred when, with one second remaining, Broncos’ kicker Will Lutz squared up for a 35-yard field goal attempt and Chenal leaped through Denver’s offensive line to deny the attempt and secure the 16-14 win.

Through eight games this season, he has posted 33 total tackles, 22 solo tackles and three pass deflections.

Former Saints draft pick spreading his wings with the Eagles

Zack Baun is spreading his wings with the Eagles. It’s hard to call the NFC Defensive Player of the Week a draft bust when the Saints didn’t know how to use him:

Credit where it’s due: Zack Baun is flying high with the Philadelphia Eagles. The former New Orleans Saints draft pick switched teams in free agency, and that decision has paid off. Baun just won recognition as the NFC Defensiive Player of the Week for the first time in his career.

Baun was integral to the Eagles’ dismantling of the NFC East-rival Dallas Cowboys; he totaled 8 tackles (3 solo, with a tackle for loss) plus two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery in their 34-6 win. So why wasn’t he putting up those kind of numbers in New Orleans?

For one thing, the Saints didn’t have much of a plan in mind when they traded up to draft Baun back in 2020. To move up from No. 88 to No. 74 (and getting back a seventh rounder in the process), the Saints traded their third rounder in 2021, which wound up falling at No. 91. And once they acquired Baun they didn’t know what to do with him. He weighed in at 6-foot-2 and 238 pounds, which was too light for Dennis Allen to stomach at defensive end, where Baun lined up in college. The coaching staff and scouting department were not in lockstep.

They spent the next few years trying to teach him to drop back in coverage and work in space, but Allen and his coaching staff never developed much confidence in him. After trading up to draft him the Saints picked another  linebacker in both 2021 (Pete Werner, at No. 60) and 2022 (D’Marco  Jackson, at No. 161). He never got a chance in New Orleans, playing almost twice as many snaps on special teams (1,293) as on defense (660) through his 62-game Saints career.

Now the Saints are scrambling for answers at linebacker. Demario Davis isn’t getting younger and the injury bug bit him earlier this year. Pete Werner signed a contract extension this summer but hasn’t proven he can stay on the field either. The Saints already decided Baun couldn’t be part of their solution, but the Eagles have figured out how to get the most out of him. Now we have to wait and see how New Orleans moves next.

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PFF: Former Wisconsin Badger is the NFL’s best linebacker over last three weeks

PFF: Former Wisconsin linebacker is the highest-graded LB from Week 8-10

Former Wisconsin Badgers linebacker Zack Baun is ProFootballFocus’ highest-graded linebacker from Weeks 8-10 of the 2024 NFL season

Through nine appearances with the Philadelphia Eagles this season, Baun has been nothing short of incredible. The UW alumnus is responsible for 87 total tackles, 55 solo tackles, three forced fumbles, two sacks and one interception as the Eagles’ mainstay in the linebacker room.

Baun has posted 30 total tackles, three forced fumbles, one interception and two pass deflections just in the last three contests.

His highest grade arrived in the Eagles’ Week 9 game vs. the Jacksonville Jaguars. His 10 tackles and two pass deflections were enough to earn him an overall grade of 92.6, the most among any qualified linebacker across the league.

Baun’s status as one of the NFL’s most elite in the middle of the defense is somewhat of a shocker. Prior to this season, the Brown Deer, Wisconsin native’s career high in tackles for a season was 30 with the New Orleans Saints. As of Nov. 11, he’s No. 11 in total tackles across the league.

Baun and the Eagles will be back in action against the Washington Commanders on Nov. 14 in Philadelphia.

Former Wisconsin linebacker dominates in Eagles’ win over Cowboys

Former Wisconsin linebacker dominates in Eagles’ win over Cowboys

Former Wisconsin Badgers linebacker Zack Baun was a key force in the Philadelphia Eagles’ blowout win vs. the Dallas Cowboys on Nov. 10.

After registering 10 total tackles, one tackle for loss, and an interception in the Eagles’ 28-23 win over Jacksonville last week, Baun recorded eight tackles, one tackle for loss, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery vs. the struggling Cowboys on Sunday.

As he appears to be every week, Baun was everywhere for the Eagles on Sunday. The play that personified his day arrived early in the fourth quarter when Baun made a solo tackle against fellow UW alumnus Jake Ferguson in the open field.

Edwards lowered his shoulder and caused the sturdy tight end to fumble, resulting in a Reed Blankenship recovery and possession flip in favor of the Eagles. Philadelphia would capitalize with a field goal on the ensuing drive to pull ahead 34-6.

Baun addressed his versatility with media following the dominant victory at AT&T Stadium.

“During my time in New Orleans people said I was an on-ball linebacker, but I was putting in the time, putting in just the same amount of work as the starters were to prepare for a moment like this,” Baun told reporters after the game.

Through eight appearances with Philadelphia this season, Baun has recorded 87 total tackles, four tackles for loss, two sacks, one interception and one three forced fumbles.

This dominant form arrives in his just first season with the Eagles. Baun played four seasons with the New Orleans Saints from 2020-23 before transitioning to a starting role at inside linebacker with the Eagles.

Baun compared the change from NFL franchises to his high school football tenure.

“I compare it a lot to the time I transferred high schools. I was kind of uncomfortable…and when I transferred, I felt like I could be myself, and be me,” Baun said. “That’s exactly how I feel with this team. They embrace me so much. Everyone just accepts me, and the people in the building made it really easy for me to transition.”

His Eagles return to the turf for another division match on Nov. 14, this time against the Washington Commanders.

Eagles overcome mental hurdle with 34-6 win vs. Cowboys, ending losing streak at AT&T Stadium

Eagles overcome a major mental hurdle with 34-6 win vs. Cowboys that ends losing streak at AT&T Stadium

The Eagles entered Sunday’s matchup against the Cowboys on a six-game losing streak at AT&T Stadium. Still, Nick Sirianni’s team blasted the lid off six years of disappointment and firmly established themselves as an NFC favorite.

Philadelphia overcame another slow start, and two early Jalen Hurts turnovers to dominate Dallas, 34-6 on the road, just days before a Thursday night showdown against Washington for first place in the NFC East.

Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts was 14-20 passing for 202 yards (10.1 avg), two touchdowns, and one interception with a 115.0 rating. Hurts also rushed seven times for 56 yards, scoring two more rushing touchdowns and moving his career total to 52.

With Cooper Rush at quarterback, Dallas 3-14 on third downs, and Vic Fangio’s ever-improving unit held the Cowboys to 146 yards of offense, 2.6 yards per play, and 1.5 yards per pass.

A.J. Brown posted another 100-yard game, logging five catches for 109 yards (21.8 avg) and making massive catch after huge catch.   On defense, linebacker Zack Baun posted seven tackles and one tackle for loss. In comparison, C.J. Gardner-Johnson posted seven tackles, one pass defended, and helped create a huge Ezekiel Elliott fumble.

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Eagles Law firm of Baun and Dean has been significant in 4 game winning streak

Zack Baun and Nakobe Dean have been standouts for Eagles defense during the four game winning streak

The Eagles are 6-2 and on a four-game winning streak, and a significant factor in the improvement of a much-maligned defensive unit starts with the law firm at linebacker. During the NFL off-season, the Devin White signing was supposed to transform Philadelphia’s defense. At the same time, Zack Baun was labeled a low-budget signing that could translate into the former Saints pass rusher having a hybrid and versatile role for Vic Fangio’s unit.

Fast forward to Week 10, and White spent the first month of the season as a healthy scratch before getting released and signing with the Texans. Baun hit the ground running and has been a high-value signing that could become a long-term extension. Nakobe Dean started the season off slow after rehabbing from a foot injury. After a few weeks of terrible tackling, he’s looked like the player Philadelphia and other teams coveted coming out of the University of Georgia.

This season, Baun is ranked first among NFL linebackers in Defensive stops (37), and he’s second in passer rating allowed (73.3).

Since Week 6, Baun has posted 36 tackles (23 solo) with one tackle for loss, one interception, and one forced fumble. During that same stretch, Nakobe Dean has combined for 34 tackles (20 solo), three tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks, one interception, and one fumble recovered. In Week 9 vs. Jacksonville, Baun and Dean became the first Eagles linebacker duo to each record an interception in the same game since Carlos Emmons and Jeremiah Trotter in the “Pickle Juice Game” during the 2000 season at Dallas.

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Former Wisconsin linebacker impresses prominent media personality

Former Wisconsin linebacker impresses prominent TV personality

Former Wisconsin Badgers linebacker Zack Baun showcased his versatility in the Philadelphia Eagles’ 28-23 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday.

The former Badger finished the contest with 10 total tackles, one tackle for loss, and an interception. Emmanuel Acho, a former NFL linebacker and media personality at FS1 broke down Baun’s play vs. the Jaguars on Thursday morning.

On the first two defensive sequences for the Eagles, Baun can be seen breaking up a deep pass down the right sideline before squaring up parallel to the line of scrimmage and tackling running back Travis Etienne Jr.

The fourth play of the game features Baun making a difficult open-field tackle on Etienne Jr. once more.

Acho proceeds with the highlights and alludes to Baun’s ability to orchestrate perfect defensive positioning as a curl flat defender.

Here’s his full breakdown of Baun’s performance:

Through eight appearances with Philadelphia this season, Baun has recorded 79 total tackles, three tackles for loss, two sacks, one interception and one forced fumble. That interception came during the highlighted performance.

Acho notably refers to Baun as a top five linebacker in the NFL up to this point of the 2024 season. With the way he’s playing, it’s hard to argue against the position.

Baun’s Eagles sit at 6-2 through eight games. They will next face the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday, Nov. 10.

Former Wisconsin linebacker grabs first interception of 2024 NFL season

Former Wisconsin linebacker grabs first interception of 2024 NFL season

Former Wisconsin linebacker Zack Baun snagged his first interception of the 2024 season in the Philadelphia Eagles’ 28-23 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday.

The sequence came on a first-down play from the Jaguars’ 33-yard line. After quarterback Trevor Lawrence dropped back and completed a pass to running back Travis Etienne Jr. for a short gain, the ball popped up in the air and was corralled by a diving Baun near the 40-yard line.

The play prevented Jacksonville from driving down the field and chipping into its 10-0 deficit before the end of the second frame.

On Philadelphia’s ensuing drive, running back Saquon Barkley accelerated into the end zone for a 19-yard touchdown to make it 16-0 in favor of the Eagles.

Here’s the full play:

On the day, Baun tallied a team-best 10 tackles, one tackle for loss, two deflections and the interception. Through eight games, the first-year Eagle has notched 79 total tackles, three tackles for loss, two sacks, one interception and one forced fumble.

Baun’s 79 tackles are the 11th-most among qualified defenders this season. He is the only player in the top 11 who has played fewer than nine games.

Philadelphia is now 6-2 and will face Dallas on Sunday, Nov. 10.