Zack Baun contract extension: Comparing Eagles LB’s $51,000,000 deal with T.J. Watt and Fred Warner’s contract

Zack Baun had the best season of his career with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2024, and he's been rewarded with a bumper new deal. The star linebacker was instrumental in the Eagles' Super Bowl LIX triumph, and on Wednesday, the team signed him on a three-year, $51 million contract extension.

Baun is now one of the best-paid linebackers in the NFL. He's now set to remain with the defending Super Bowl champions for the foreseeable future.

With that in mind, let's look at his new deal side-by-side with two of the best defenders in the game.

Comparing Zack Baun's new deal to T.J. Watt and Fred Warner’s contracts

Zack Baun's new three-year, $51 million extension comes with $34 million guaranteed at signing and $1.5 million in incentives. His performances in 2024 saw him earn first-team All-Pro honors plus a nomination for the Defensive Player of the Year Award.

In comparison, T.J. Watt is in the last year of his four-year, $112 million contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Watt's deal saw him earn an average of $28 million per year, which was the highest among defensive players at the time. Following Baun's contract extension, there's a good chance that Watt's next deal will fetch him around $35 to $37 million per year.

Fred Warner, on the other hand, is playing on a five-year, $95,225,000 contract that he signed in 2021. Warner signed the deal with the San Francisco 49ers after balling out on his rookie contract. The 49ers will look to extend the deal in the near future.

Zack Baun's new contract with the Eagles is a stunning deal from the Philadelphia front office. His $17,000,000 per year contract will look like a steal when fellow elite linebackers T. J. Watt and Fred Warner renew their contracts.

Watt will likely earn a contract in the region of $35 to $37 million per year, while Warner will be looking at something in the region of $25 to $28 million per year. Both are perennial All-Pro players, so they've earned whatever their teams pay them.

However, Baun has significantly less mileage on his body than Watt and Warner, so his deal could look like a bargain in a couple of seasons. $17,000,000 for a versatile All-Pro LB in today's game is an achievement for a front office.