Zack Baun has been an interesting player ever since the New Orleans Saints drafted him in 2020. The initial conversation surrounding Baun was his fit in the defense. He was an edge rusher in college, putting his hand in the dirt and rushing against offensive linemen, who was being pushed into being an off-ball linebacker and asked to cover receivers out in space.
Baun’s immediate ascension into an All-Pro, Pro Bowl linebacker with the Philadelphia Eagles showed the Saints didn’t have the wrong idea. They just had the wrong people trying to execute that plan.
Mickey Loomis told reporters this week the Saints tried to keep Baun in New Orleans but couldn’t give him what he was looking for: “We tried to sign Zack Baun but he was looking for opportunity to get more playing time. Under the last system that wasn’t going to be as likely.”
Baun stepped into a bigger role under a different coaching staff, and proved he could be a great player. He even looks more comfortable dropping into coverage with Philadelphia than he did with New Orleans.
The conversation of departing players finding success elsewhere drifted over to Trey Hendrickson as well. Loomis said, “I’m excited that we drafted (Baun and Hendrickson) and they’ve had success, they were identified as talented players. But obviously it’s not great when they go and have success some place else. That hasn’t happened a lot in our tenure here.”
Kaden Ellis is another example, and he’s similar to Hendrickson. These were players who produced for you, but you chose not to keep. Those decisions look bad after a few years of those players ascending and the Saints defense declining. At a time when the Saints are too old and slow on defense with holes at defensive end and linebacker, it’s disappointing to see your old backups starting and winning All-Pro recognition somewhere else.
“When you draft good players, you want to keep them, absolutely,” Loomis added. Maybe he and his next coaching staff will do a better job retaining talent after they’ve developed it.
