Eagles linebacker earns a special shout-out from Nick Sirianni

Late last week, Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni was asked a question about the toughness C.J. Gardner-Johnson brings to his team. He answered it.

Then he was asked an entirely unrelated question and answered that too.

But then a little lightbulb went off. 

And the head coach who doesn’t always like to single players out, circled back to the topic of toughness and put the spotlight on a different guy.

“Another new addition to our team that I think brings an element of toughness with the way he plays with his motor, with the way he strikes blocks is Zack Baun,” Sirianni said. “It shows not only on the defensive side, but it also shows during special teams.

“Like, this guy is a tough, tough dude that plays with great detail and great passion for this game with physicality.”

That’s high praise from Sirianni.

“It means a lot,” Baun said on Monday. “We talk about it a lot. It’s one thing to talk about it but it’s next-level to do it and do it consistently. That’s something that’s always been in my game. I always pride myself on that. I’m a hustle guy. From being a special teamer, it’s all about effort and tenacity and always moving around so that’s always been a part of my game. I appreciate that, Coach.”

It’s pretty clear what the Eagles think about the 27-year-old free agent linebacker pickup.

When the Eagles signed Baun, most figured he’d end up being a situational edge rusher in Vic Fangio’s defense and a core special teams guy. That was the role he had at the end of his time with the Saints and it seemed like a good fit in this new-look defense.

But with every passing day, it’s looking more and more likely that Baun is going to be a starting off-ball linebacker when the real games begin.

Since the spring, Baun has been working primarily with the first-team defense next to fellow free agent pickup Devin White and he’s been impressing. While Nakobe Dean and even rookie Jeremiah Trotter Jr. have gotten first-team reps, Baun and White have been the two guys in there the most.

“Pure effort, pure heart,” White said of Baun. “A person that loves the game of football. Sticking his head in every play on downhill runs. A guy that’s just going out there, being relentless. I knew that about him being with the Saints, he was on special teams doing it. Now, it’s just translating D vs. O. He’s just letting his light shine.”

The Saints drafted Baun in the third round (No. 74) out of Wisconsin back in 2020 and he played in 62 games with 14 starts over the last four years. While his time with the Saints ended with him showing some prowess as a pass rusher, Baun did get time at off-ball linebacker in New Orleans but never really earned a big role.

For the most part, Baun was a spot player on defense and a major contributor on special teams. He might be more than that with the Eagles.

And it really starts with his toughness.

It’s something Baun says he’s heard from just about every coach with the Eagles and from earlier in his career. He thinks he shows that toughness with his physicality and his pursuit of the football.

But it goes beyond that.

“Toughness is not only physical but it’s mental,” Baun said. “I think once you master the mental side, the rest of your game can really develop. It’s always something that I’ve had to work at. 

“I haven’t always been this way but you just grind and you work at it and just hearing what different coaches want and it’s always toughness, toughness. It keeps coming up. And I was like, ‘That’s the player I need to be and that’s the player I want to be.’ So that’s what happened.”

Even though Baun is getting his snaps at off-ball linebacker, he’s working to keep his pass rushing ability sharp by studying and taking part in 1-on-1 battles. He still might get a chance to rush the passer from the edge.

But, for now, Baun should have his eyes on that starting gig.

“I just love this game so much,” Baun said, “and it’d be a shame if I didn’t put everything to the test.”

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