Baun’s Voyage

PHILADELPHIA – While his mindset and approach to his craft hasn’t changed, Eagles linebacker Zack Baun enters his sixth NFL season heralded among the elite at his position.

It’s a stark contrast to the position Baun found himself around this time last year, a new face and relatively unknown entity on a reshuffled defense. His role was undetermined. But as we soon learned, Baun would revise his narrative in what was arguably the NFL’s most unlikely story.

In case you’re in need of a refresher, Baun was the first name rattled off before newly appointed coordinator Vic Fangio, when asked about his linebacker room, reached for his trusty roster to list the others. That Baun was top of mind for Fangio sparked curiosity, and for many, skepticism surrounding the reconfigured second level of the Eagles’ defense.

All Baun has done since is evolve into a defensive centerpiece, fueled by a standout summer and meteoric regular-season success that resulted in his first All Pro and Pro Bowl nominations. The soft-spoken Baun, in one season, transformed the position in Philadelphia, arming Fangio with the playmaking, do-it-all player at the center of his defense that he’s often had throughout his coaching stops.

The Eagles this offseason made it a priority to retain and reward Baun, who inked a three-year, $51 million – $34M of which is guaranteed – in early March, ensuring the 28-year-old never even made it to free agency. But even in light of his newfound status and league-wide recognition, Baun hasn’t deviated from his long-standing perspective. His demeanor and avoidance of complacency is enduring, a hallmark since entering league.

“I think throughout my career I learned just to never be satisfied with where I’m at,” Baun said. “Before a contract, or before a breakout year, you could have said I made it because I’m in the NFL. And in my head, I still had stuff to prove, and that’s still the case now.”

ITB PHOTO: Eagles LB Zack Baun is readying to prove himself again after signing a massive contract.

Baun’s ascent to prominence resembled that of a rocket into orbit, an unprecedented feel-good story for a veteran player who prior to last season hadn’t logged more than 301 defensive snaps with the Saints. While intriguing, the reality is that Baun was playing on a one-year prove-it deal and faced an uncertain future in his new venture. He’d largely functioned as a part-time pass-rusher in New Orleans – his presumed role with the Eagles. Fangio, however, had a different vision.

While perhaps the most extreme example of seizing a modest opportunity, relative to NFL standards, Baun’s story even served as an inspirational template during a team meeting this spring, skewed toward players in a similar situation. The example particularly resonated with Eagles pass-rusher Josh Uche, who signed a prove-it deal back in March. Like Baun, Uche will have an opportunity to experience a career resurgence.

Quiet and reserved, Baun leads in his own way. No longer the unknown entity eyeing a revival, he now takes center stage, entering new terrain in terms of his position in team hierarchy. Baun has become someone his teammates look to as an example, a responsibility he’s embraced.

“It’s cool,” he said. “This year is definitely a transition for me, in terms of a leadership role. Especially being in a room with so many young guys and so many guys that look up to me and trust me to guide them in their careers, whether that’s on special teams or at linebacker. And a couple guys around the league, as well, have reached out to me – career special teams players –  that are inspired by my story. And that’s really cool and special to me.”

With fellow linebackers Nakobe Dean (knee) and Jihaad Campbell (shoulder) on the mend – and with Baun watching from the sideline Tuesday due to “overall body soreness”– youngsters Jeremiah Trotter Jr. and Smael Mondon Jr. ran with the first unit. And even though the youth-infused room behind Baun and Dean is ripe with inexperience, Baun conveyed optimism and intrigue when assessing the new-look group.

“Young, obviously,” he said. “Athletic. Very athletic. I mean, you look at Smael [Mondon Jr.] and Lance [Dixon], too, and Jihaad … those are three very, very athletic guys that can do a lot of different things. Just getting them installed in our playbook is the biggest thing.”

For the room to reach its potential, Baun doesn’t need to replicate his All-Pro campaign, even if his inexperience playing the position suggests there’s room for even further growth. But Baun isn’t putting a ceiling on himself and doesn’t yet know what’s in store for his encore.

“I don’t know,” he said, with a smirk. “We’ll have to wait and see.”

– Andrew DiCecco (@AndrewDiCecco) is a Staff Reporter/Content Producer for InsideTheBirds.com.