The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are 2-5, and the general consensus around the league is that they’re more likely to be sellers at the trade deadline than buyers.
But what if they take the opposite approach? The NFC South is the NFL’s weakest division, and a Week 8 win over the Falcons combined with a Panthers loss to the Packers would put Tampa Bay just half a game out of first place, with head-to-head tiebreakers over Carolina and Atlanta. The Buccaneers are far from out of contention.
Tampa Bay quietly boasts a top-10 defense, and the only glaring weakness is the inside linebacker spot next to standout rookie Josiah Trotter. The 2-5 Eagles could be sellers at the deadline, and they might have the missing piece to fix the Buccaneers’ linebacker woes.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers should explore a trade for Philadelphia Eagles LB Zack Baun
Todd Bowles is loyal to a fault, and he continues to trust Alex Anzalone, who wears the green dot for the Bucs defense. But Anzalone has been a major liability this season, ranking as the worst linebacker in the NFL according to Pro Football Focus.
The Bucs defense has otherwise been borderline elite, and if they’re serious about getting the most out of this unit, they can’t continue to rely on Anzalone.
With the Eagles staring down a lost season, especially with starting quarterback Jalen Hurts sidelined indefinitely, they could consider punting on this season and building for the future.
Zack Baun was named First-Team All-Pro in 2024, and the 29-year-old linebacker is still playing at an elite level for Philadelphia.
He currently ranks as PFF’s fifth-best linebacker with solid grades in pass coverage, run defense, and pass rushing.
Baun is currently the sixth-highest-paid linebacker in the NFL, earning $17 million annually, and he’s under contract through 2027. Not only would the Buccaneers have to take on that contract, but they’d have to fork over a premium pick, likely a second- or third-rounder, for the Eagles to even consider a trade.
It would be an uncharacteristic move for Jason Licht, but it could be well worth it. The trade would give the Buccaneers something they haven’t had in years: much-needed stability at the inside linebacker spot.
Trotter is already playing at an elite level as a rookie, but the middle of the defense is being held back by Anzalone. Replacing him with Baun would be a surefire way to shore things up, and he’d be the perfect veteran mentor for Trotter.
The Buccaneers proved just how elite their defense could be by dismantling the first-place Panthers in Week 7. Carolina entered the matchup ranked No. 1 in passing, No. 2 in total offense, and No. 4 in scoring. The Buccaneers sacked Bryce Young five times, picked him off twice, and had a forced fumble returned for a touchdown in a 43-13 win.
This defense is legit, and Baun could be the final piece needed to cement Tampa Bay’s defense as one of the NFL’s best and catapult this team to the NFC South title.
The Buccaneers could reasonably wait until after Week 8 to determine their direction at the trade deadline, but if they pull off another divisional victory and continue to climb the standings, it might be time to call the Eagles and go all-in on winning the NFC South.
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