Headed For Block Destruction

PHILADELPHIA – It’s hardly hyperbole these days to suggest the current state of the Eagles’ linebacker room has been a revelation.

Furthering the sentiment, it also wouldn’t be a stretch to believe that the entire group, furnished with an enticing blend of proven mainstays and tantalizing upside, just might be the most talented collection of second level defenders in franchise history.

At the head of the class is veteran Zack Baun, a reigning All Pro and poster child example of player development. He’s the green-dot wearer; the imposing, albeit stabilizing, presence patrolling the middle of Vic Fangio’s defense.

Baun also serves as a prominent leader and tone-setter on a new-look unit, epitomizing the physicality and detail for which the team pride itself.

There’s also rookie upstart Jihaad Campbell, Baun’s running mate. The Alabama product plays with a distinct edge, complementing his inherent hard-nosed mentality with range and boundless athleticism.

Eagles LBs coach Bobby King has his players schooled in the art of “block destruction.”

Second-year pro Jeremiah Trotter Jr. turned in one of the more productive training camps among all Eagles defenders, producing a splash play in every session. On a team that doesn’t rotate its linebackers, there isn’t a defensive role for Trotter Jr. to start the season, but his special teams prowess align with the identity ingrained in the position room.

And let’s not neglect to mention Nakobe Dean, arguably the heartbeat of the Eagles’ defense, who’s currently on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list. Dean, when healthy, serves as a downhill heat-seeker and essentially doubles as a coach on the field.

Even rookie Smael Mondon Jr., a 2025 fifth-round pick, showcased a knack for throwing his body around while remaining fundamentally sound. He logged a fair amount of first-team reps this summer and appeared right at home with the brand of football mandated by position coach Bobby King, who enters his second season on the job.

King, routinely a spirited presence on the practice field, sets the temperature. His directives are explicit and thorough as he examines each rep. The identity King has cultivated is apparent, crafting a group derived on toughness and grit, preparedness and assignment sound football.

“Yeahhh!” Campbell, noticeably upbeat, began when asked about King.

“He’s the real deal, man,” he said. “He’s big-time in my process here. I have nothing to say but just great things about him because he’s so helpful just in ways of, like …  Being a linebacker is hard, right? You know, you’ve got different things going on. But when you got a coach like him, he gives you the fine clues, he gives you the small details that you can overcome that you might not see, but he sees and he’s gonna advocate that for you.

“And he’s gonna be hard on you, it’s always gonna be a challenge with Bobby, but it’s not to run you down or nothing like that. It’s always for the ups, just to level out everything that goes on in football. He’s a hard-nosed coach, that’s what it is. Everything is about violence, executing your job well, block destruction. And as he always says, ‘Never get pad on pad with anybody.’ That’s my favorite line from him, because it’s true.”

Converse with any Eagles linebacker and it’s safe to assume the term “block destruction” will be emphasized on more than one occasion.

It’s a facet of the position that King is most adamant about, defeating blocks with force, aggression and urgency. And should anyone in the group need reminding, there’s a “Block Destruction” poster residing in their position room.

Once you enter King’s world, at least whenever you’re done with him, you’ll have earned a diploma in Block Destruction University. The schooling is wide-ranging, according to Mondon Jr., who added that BD Community College, BDU Prep and BD Prep are other colleges represented on the poster.

“Bobby would say he’s got that tattooed on him, and he tries to tattoo that on guys,” quipped linebacker Chance Campbell. “That’s a really big thing with him, he requires it of all his guys, and he’ll make sure you get there.”

Campbell, a member of the Eagles’ practice squad, offers a unique perspective on King’s impact. The 25-year-old, drafted in the sixth-round by the Tennessee Titans in 2022, spent his first two NFL seasons absorbing King’s philosophies.

So, naturally, when the topic of block destruction came up, Campbell sported a wide grin.

“That’s always been a thing with Bobby since I’ve known him,” he said.

Campbell added that, even after a couple years removed, King is the same coach who poured into his players and gave them everything he had at his previous stop. The palpable enthusiasm and emphasis on accountability are other consistencies.

“Bobby’s the man,” he said. “He knows what it takes to be a good ‘backer. And he cares enough to bring guys, wherever they are, to where his standard is. Wherever you are – if you’re good at something – he’s gonna make sure you get better at it. If you have a weakness, he’s gonna make sure you close the gap.

“I think that’s rare. I think a lot of times, coaches wanna highlight guy’s strengths, which is awesome, and maybe try to hide the weakness, but Bobby doesn’t really believe in that, I don’t think. There’s a standard that you gotta be at a certain level for everything. I think that makes us all-around ‘backers.”

Mondon Jr. recalled King being straightforward with him in their initial interaction, conveying his expectations of the room as well as his ideologies. For rookie linebackers, the crash course in Block Destruction University and adaption to the elevated standards necessary to thrive in a suddenly well-stocked linebacker room helmed by King could appear daunting.

Not in this case, however, as King knows how to press the right buttons to ease the mind of younger players, his message encouraging them to fly around and play free.

“He was just saying, ‘You’re here for a reason. All of y’all. So, just go out there, play free and show us why you’re here,'” Mondon Jr. recalled. “So, just taking some of that stress off of players. He does a good job of that and a really good job of instilling confidence in players.”

The ascending linebacker play, under King’s watch, has been often discussed, even if the coach responsible for developing and shaping the on-field product is criminally underdiscussed. That figures to change this season.

Across the board, every member of the room has exhibited notable signs of progress while enrolled in Block Destruction University. The controlled violence, persistent intent of imposing one’s will and steadfast pursuit of the football is as common in their DNA as is block destruction.

For added perspective of King’s imprint on continuous improvement, take someone like Mondon Jr., who joined the Eagles following a decorated career at Georgia.

The 22-year-old arrived boasting a resume rich with experience and a wide-ranging skill set but identified his most noticeable area of growth to be in  – you guessed it – block destruction.

“Just by how much he drills it,” he said. “Every day, it’s always block destruction. Sometimes in clips, you might fit wrong or whatever, but if the block destruction is good, he’s gonna coach you up on your fit, but he’ll say, ‘Hey, that’s how you use the block destruction.’ Or if your fit’s right, and you’re block destruction’s wrong, he’s gonna be like, ‘All right, good fit, but…’

“It’s just that emphasis on block destruction. He drills it. If you’re gonna learn one thing, it’s gonna be block destruction. And I feel like that’s the most important thing as a ‘backer.”

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