Imagine if the Cardinals can hit a Zack Baun-like jackpot
These days the Philadelphia Eagles must be feeling giddy about the emergence of Zack Baun as a 1st Team NFL All-Pro inside linebacker. Drafted with the 74th pick in the 3rd round by the New Orleans Saints, Zack Baun was supposed to be a Kyle Van Noy (Lance Zierlien’s player comp) type of edge dynamo, coming off his final All-American, 1st team All-Big 10 season at Wisconsin.
Alas, for Baun and the Saints, things did not go as planned during his largely underwhelming four years in New Orleans. He only started 14 games and finished his stint with the Saints with 88 tackles and 2 sacks.
As an unrestricted free agent in 2024, Zack Baun landed into the arms of the Eagles’ Vic Fangio, largely considered to be one the Michelangelo of defensive coordinators. It was a one-year “prove it” type of contract for $3.5M with $2.4M in guaranteed money.
The Eagles’ ILB situation coming into the 2024 season was a little murky. Their 2022 3rd round pick from Georgia, Nakobe Dean, was coming off an injury riddled 2024 season in which he only played 5 games, earning a lackluster 61.7 PFF grade in 182 snaps.
The Eagles best two ILBs in 2024 were Nicholas Morrow (71.5) and Zach Cunningham (69.4) who registered 834 and 717 snaps respectively. Heading into the 2925, neither Morrow nor Cunningham remained in the team’s plans.
So, here are the moves at ILB that Howie Roseman made:
- Signing former Bucs 2nd Team All-Pro LB Devin White to a 1-year $7.5M contract.
- Signing former Saints OLB/DE Zack Baun to a 1-yesr $3.5M contract.
- Signing former 49ers ILB Oren Burks to a 1-year $1.125M contract.
- Drafting ILB Jeremiah Trotter from Clemson in the 5th round.
Results:
- Zack Baun beats out Devin White, whom the team releases in October without taking a single snap. Baun plays 938 snaps, grades a 90.1 and earns 1st Team NFL All-Pro recognition. Note: this off-season the Eagles promptly re-signed Baun to a 3-year, $51M contract with $34M guaranteed.
- Nakobe Dean plays 857 snaps and earns his highest grade as a pro at 75.2.
- Oren Burks, considered to be one of the better coverage ILBs in the NFL, plays 147 snaps and earns an 83.0 grade.
- Jeremiah Trotter plays 104 snaps and earns an 84.7 grade.
2024 Eagles ILBs:
- Baun: 90.1
- Trotter: 84.7
- Burks: 83.0
- Dean: 75.2
Coverage Grades:
- Baun 91.7
- Trotter: 90.0
- Burks: 70.0
- Dean: 60.7
Tackling Grades:
- Trotter: 68.2
- Baun: 65.8
- Dean: 63.3
- Burks: 60.8
Major kudos to Vic Fangio and especially to the Eagles’ new ILB coach, Bobby King for delivering the most prolific ILB play in the NFL in 2024.
Note: Monti Ossenfort is very familiar with Bobby King who was the Titan’s inside LB coach from 2022-2023. From the Eagles’ bio of King:
Bobby King (philadelphiaeagles.com)
“In 2022, King oversaw a linebacker room that helped Tennessee pace the league in both rushing defense (76.9 ypg) and opponent yards per rush (3.4). Moreover, the Titans’ linebackers helped limit opponents to just nine rushing scores all season, which tied for the third fewest in the NFL.”
What the Eagles’ grades suggest:
Pass coverage at ILB is one of the defense’s top priorities. The coaches are willing to settle for average tackling, as long as the ILBs’ coverage efforts are commendable.
What the Eagles’ ILBs have going for them in ways that most ILB units do not is a prodigious front line that not only gets consistent pressure on the QB, but they have the size and gap anchoring strength to keep the ILBs “clean.”
Conclusion: the Eagles’ ILBs are superb in pass coverage (especially in Fangio’s vaunted combo zones) and are just average tacklers.
Cardinals ILBs 2024:
- Mack Wilson Sr.: 63.8 —- 760 snaps
- Krys Barnes: 63.1 —- 205 snaps
- Owen Pappoe: 63.0 —- 131 snaps
- Kyzir White: 48.8 —- 1,015 snaps
Coverage Grades:
- Pappoe: 76.9
- Barnes: 58.0
- Wilson Sr.: 56.8
- White: 32.0
Tackling Grades:
- Barnes: 71.6
- White: 70.0
- Wilson: 60.7
- Pappoe: 40.9
What these grades suggest:
In today’s NFL, it is of paramount importance for inside linebackers to be strong in pass coverage. If opposing QBs can make consistently easy throws over the middle, then one can expect the defense to surrender a surplus of long, chain-moving drives.
Owen Pappoe works best as a nickel cover ILB. But, as his subpar tackling grade suggests, he is not well enough equipped to be a 3-down linebacker that is, unless he shows significant improvement heading into his 3rd NFL season.
Mack Wilson Sr. is not particularly adept in coverage or in tackling. The area that he is consistently the best at is blitzing the QB, which is why he should be used primarily as a situational subpackage linebacker.
Cardinals’ 2025 moves thus far:
- With the additions of Calasi Campbell, Dalvin Tomlinson and Josh Sweat up front, there is a much better chance that the Cardinals’ defensive line will be able to keep the ILBs “clean” more often and regularly —- and a much better chance of getting consistent pressure on the QB this year.
- Signing for Bengals ILB Akeem Davis-Gaither to a 2-year $10M contract with $5M guaranteed.
- Signing former Commanders’ LB and special teams ace Mykal Walker to a 1-year $1.79M contract with $500K guaranteed.
ADG has shown coverage instincts and as such he would figure to be one of the Cardinals’ two starting ILBs. The main question is —- Is ADG a MIKE? —- Or a WILB?
Interestingly the Bengals signed Oren Burks (2-years, $5M) to help fill the coverage void left by ADG’s defection.
Mack Wilson Sr. might be the coaches’ pick to take on the green dot at the MIKE position. But his career numbers at ILB no not match well with the way NFL ILBs are trending. The question is, can JG/NR run their heavy number of zone coverages with Mack Wilson Sr. defending the middle?
Conclusion: what the Cardinals need to do is acquire a starter at MIKE either through free agency, a trade or the draft.
The current free agent talent pool at ILB is thin.
The top ILB prospects in the 2025 NFL Draft:
- Jihaad Campbell, 6-3, 244, Alabama, 2024 1st Team All-SEC, 4.52 40
- Jalon Walker, 6-2, 245, Georgia, 2024 Butkus Award winner, 1st Team All-American, 2nd Team All-SEC, 4.50 40 (Note: Cardinals had a Top30 visit with him)
- Demetruis Knight Jr., 6-2, 245, South Carolina, Team MVP on Defense, 4.58 40
- Carson Schwesinger, 62, 225, UCLA, AP 1st Team All-American, 1st team All-Big Ten, 4.70 40.
- Chris Paul, Jr., 6-1, 235, Mississippi, USA Today 1st Team All-American, 2nd Team All-SEC, 4.63 40
- Jack Kiser, 6-2, 231, Notre Dame, finalist for the William V, Campbell Award, former “Mr. Indiana”, 4,62 40
- Teddye Buchanan, 6-2, 232, California, 1st Team All-ACC, 4.60 40
ROTB Question:
Of these prospects, which one or two would you like to see the Cardinals pick?