🏈 Zack Baum: What a Difference a Year Makes

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We could talk about all the games from yesterday, but like we always say: “When they zig, we zag.”

Coming out of the University of Wisconsin, Eagles LB Zack Baun was just looking for somewhere to call home. Baun was a Dick Butkus Award finalist his senior year, an award that recognizes the best linebacker in the country, and he was a captain and leader for the Badgers. He was selected in the third round of the 2020 NFL Draft by the New Orleans Saints, a new home! Baun saw extremely limited playing time, almost exclusively seeing game action in a special teams role, never really seeing the field on defense.

Baun was seen as an outside linebacker in the Saints defense, a guy who could rush the passer and get after the QB. When his rookie contract expired at the conclusion of last season, Baun had very little playing tape to show other teams. It was the Eagles who came calling, but with an asterisk. They wanted Baun to change positions, move from outside linebacker to inside linebacker, be more focused on stopping the run, and use his athleticism to play the pass as well. It was all new for Zach, new home, new team, new position, new expectations.

Baun adjusted well, really well. He splashed onto the scene in the NFL’s first game of the year in Brazil. Baun had a career-high 15 tackles, and even added two sacks in the Eagles 34-29 win. That wasn’t enough for Baun. He had felt what it was like to sit and watch from the sidelines, so he was hungry. Baun posted 150 tackles in the regular season, the third-most in the whole league. In yesterday’s playoff game against the Packers, he shut the door on Green Bay’s season with a late-game interception.

What was even more cool about yesterday for Baun is that he's from Wisconsin. Ending Green Bay’s season probably had a lot of friends and family members feeling a little… weird. But Baun doesn’t care, he’s just happy to be in his position. He was named a first-team All-Pro this year for the first time. A guy who barely could see the field is now one of the best players at his position in the NFL.

It just goes to show what a change of scenery, position, or perspective can do for someone. One man’s rags are another man’s riches.

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