Zack Baun’s ascension with the Eagles all goes back to Vic Fangio

On By Littum

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PHILADELPHIA – Jordan Love didn’t see Zack Baun, but it Philadelphia Eagles linebacker was right where he needed to be.

Baun lined up between hash marks and dropped back into coverage as the Green Bay Packers quarterback scanned the middle of the field in Sunday’s wild-card playoff contest. The former New Orleans Saint, who played primarily on special teams before signing with the Eagles on a one-year deal this offseason, had the wherewithal thanks to his preparation and coaching to ditch his man (tight end Tucker Kraft) and select Love. — who targeted Malik Heath on an intermediate break route — near midfield as the Eagles held a 10-0 lead with less than a minute to go before halftime.

After the Eagles’ win, Baun called the play “a dream interception.” Not because it was the playoffs or any other reason, but it was an example of the freedom and trust he earned from his teammates and defensive coordinator Vic Fangio.

“I think with Vic, you have to earn that type of freedom,” said Baun, who described wiretapping as a “you take it, you do it” type.

He added, “Because obviously you hit the guy over the ball, it’s a 10-yard gain. … Just people that trusted me and I trusted my own ability … I trusted that and went and got the.”

It’s actually a mutual trust between Baun and Fangio — the coach to make the right calls and the player to execute them — that has developed over the course of the season, which has been “really cool,” Baun said.

“Because it takes a long time for us to figure out the scheme and for Vic and the coaches to figure out who we are and what we can do,” he said in a jubilant Eagles locker room after their 22-10 win to set up a date with the Los Angeles Rams in the divisional round. “So that affects what he can call at certain times.”

Baun couldn’t figure out when he gained that trust.

“I don’t know,” he said with a laugh. “I kind of did. It’s there now.”

In the process, Baun turned in a 2024 season that landed him on the first-team All-Pro squad at inside linebacker.

Not bad for someone who took 27.7% of the Saints’ defensive snaps in his final season with the team.

How Eagles’ Zack Baun became the best version of himself under Vic Fangio

Not even Fangio could have predicted Baun’s season, though the longtime defensive coordinator and Denver Broncos head coach from 2019-21 had the sense to move Baun to off-ball linebacker.

“It’s hard to say … but I think you don’t put any restrictions on players,” Fangio said. “If you put limits on them, you get limited production. Take them to the attic where they can go.”

“Obviously he’s had a great year. I think it exceeded most everyone’s expectations, probably even himself. But now (there are) no limitations. He’s set a standard for himself. He has to show up and do it every week.”

Fangio didn’t want to compare Baun’s campaign to other inside linebackers he’s coached, but he said Baun “is playing really well and we’re happy to have him.”

Baun started more games this season (16) than he had in four years with the Saints (14). He tied his career sack total (2.0) in the season opener in Brazil against the Packers. His sack production dropped from there, but that’s not what Fangio and his teammates need him to do, despite his success in college rushing the ball off the edge (12 ½ sacks in 2019, his final season at Wisconsin).

He had 15 tackles (11 solo) against Green Bay in Week 1 and hit the ground running, inside linebacker Oren Burks said after the wild-card win over the Packers.

“Really from the (first) Packers game, he just came out and fired away, let the play come to him, just flow, and be who he is as a playmaker,” Burks said of Baun.

Baun’s versatility and experience at outside linebacker is a bonus, but Fangio was reluctant to move him there even when the Eagles lost Brandon Graham for the season.

“He’s obviously had a hell of a year,” Burks said. “I feel like it’s a testament to the work he’s had throughout his career, just finding a good fit here in Philadelphia. It’s been cool to see, as a team player, playing a lot more defense and taking advantage the opportunity. He has (spoken) off and is just really proud of him.”

The inside linebacker position has been a weakness of recent Eagles defenses, and Fangio knew he had to address the position upon his arrival.

“I tell you what, I’m happy for him, but once he made the first few big plays for him this year, the sky was the limit for him,” outside linebacker Josh Sweat told USA TODAY Sports. “(I’m) telling you, especially like here, where we’ve struggled with linebackers over the years — just to say how it is — we couldn’t do it without him.”

Nakobe Dean, a 2022 third-round draft pick, was poised to step into a starting role and was the defensive play-caller on the field with the “green dot” connected to Fangio’s headset. But a knee injury against the Packers last Sunday will cost him the rest of the playoffs. Baun will have to step up and be the link between Philadelphia’s other 10 defensive players in action and Fangio.

Baun referred to Dean as “my brother” and someone who teaches him a lot in addition to being the “ultimate leader of the defense.”

“Seeing somebody go down, especially him, it really hurts,” Baun said.

How much more should the Eagles rely on Baun in Dean’s absence?

“(Expletive), man, some more,” Sweat said. “We’re getting people to step up, they’re ready to go, you’re already seeing Oren. We definitely wanted Nakobe, but unfortunately that’s the way it has to be.”

Burks took over for Dean against the Packers, and Fangio said he expected rookie Jeremiah Trotter Jr. would get more playing time.

Burks called Dean the defense’s unsung hero who commanded respect by playing physical ball and helping put his teammates in the right spot. That responsibility now falls to Baun, who has learned Fangio’s team along with the rest of his teammates, bringing the whole unit closer, Burks said.

“Just a lot of respect for our room, everybody from the top down has handled their business,” Burks said. “It’s fun to learn from each other. We learn everything at the same time.”

For Baun, that meant getting comfortable with Fangio’s coverages as much as he once worked on pass-rush moves.

“He doesn’t do a lot of exotic fronts or third-down pressures, but a lot of exotic things coverage-wise,” Baun said. “It takes a really smart and communicative defense to handle something like that. So I really think what sets Vic apart is his situational play calling and when to call plays is really good.”

Baun had his downs despite a generally successful year. Fangio would have liked to see him stick with Washington Commanders receiver Jamison Crowder longer in zone coverage on the game-winning touchdown in Week 16 to prevent Jayden Daniels from having such an open window to throw into, for example.

But without Fangio’s scouting skills, Baun might never have had a chance to start in the league. When Fangio evaluates players, he told reporters during the regular season, there are no boxes to check. The 66-year-old assesses movement patterns and doesn’t pay much attention to league-wide opinions.

“I trust my own eyes, my own experience and go for it,” Fangio said. “There are a lot of people who want to know what the majority thinks and take the easy way out, but I’ve never been that guy.”

Eagles executive vice president Howie Roseman first brought up the idea of ​​signing Baun, but he had a vision for him as a backup outside linebacker and special teams “demon,” Fangio said.

“After I saw (the film), I said, ‘No, I think he’s an inside linebacker,'” Fangio said. “Fortunately it hit.”

Luck is a minor factor in Baun’s ascension. The pairing with Fangio, the preparation throughout the week and the results on the track are other, bigger reasons. And Love may disagree, but being in Philadelphia made Baun impossible to miss in 2024.