The New Orleans Saints will have a major decision in the offseason. It has nothing to do with their quarterback or coaching staff, either. Instead, it's a choice on their defense.
Edge rusher Zack Baun has emerged as a key piece of the front seven for New Orleans. But how? Over the past couple of years, Baun has mostly just been a special teams player with limited defensive snaps.
That's changed in 2023. The Saints no longer force Baun to solely play inside linebacker on defense. Now, the bulk of his role is off the edge as a pass rusher.
Baun's best traits in college were his explosiveness and technique on passing downs. He was fluid and powerful. That's transitioned to the league, too. It's truly a wonder why New Orleans took so long to use Baun's strengths at the center of his role.
There was always some questioning when it came to Baun's role in previous years. The Saints seemingly tried to convert him into a different style of linebacker that never fit his upside. From 2020-2022, the former Wisconsin defender totaled zero sacks and just four QB hits.
In 2023, Baun has two sacks, four tackles for loss, and four QB hits.
Baun is set to be a free agent after the season. His production over the past four years will not be demonstrative, but his growth will earn him a solid deal.
If the Saints are smart, they will find a way to keep him around on a deal that will work well for both sides. Cameron Jordan has declined sharply when it comes to his pass rush production, and Baun provides speed that no other edge rusher in New Orleans has right now. It makes too much sense.
It's unclear what his contract will look like due to his lack of playing time on defense early in his NFL career, but an extension needs to be on the table for Baun from the Saints.
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