ESPN projects Panthers sign first-time All-Pro defender in free agency

Could the Panthers really land Zack Baun?

Feb 9, 2025; New Orleans, LA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Zack Baun (53) makes an interception against Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (not pictured) during the second quarter in Super Bowl LIX at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Carolina Panthers need a linebacker. The middle of their defense was pretty porous last year, and they're letting Shaq Thompson walk. There aren't a ton of high-level interior linebackers in the draft, and the Panthers are likely to target other needs in the draft.

That leaves free agency, and there just so happens to be a first-time All-Pro coming off a career year and a Super Bowl champion on the market. The connection is obvious, and ESPN's Aaron Schatz believes it's too good to ignore.

Zack Baun likely played his way into a massive payday. He was a bona fide superstar on the field for he first time in his career, and the Panthers can use a player like that. Schatz said, "The Panthers finished dead last in defensive DVOA, so why not sign this past season's best defensive playmaker? Baun, who was barely used as an edge rusher for New Orleans, was a revelation as an off-ball linebacker with the Eagles in 2024."

Dec 8, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Zack Baun (53) sacks Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young (9) during the first quarter at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images / Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

Schatz also believes he'd make a perfect pairing with Josey Jewell as the two ILBs in Ejiro Evero's 3-4 scheme. "Baun was a first-team All-Pro and finished fifth in the Defensive Player of the Year balloting. He led the league with 34 defeats, a stat that counts big plays including turnovers, and registered 11 tackles for loss," the insider said. "He would easily slot in as an inside linebacker next to Josey Jewell and become the focus of the entire Panthers' defense."

The Panthers have often been at their best with dominant linebacker play. Luke Kuechly and Thomas Davis, and for a while Shaq Thompson, led some of the best defensive units in Panthers' history. It may not be as simple as that to fix this defense, but it'd be hard to complain about investing in such a good player at such a vital position.

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