Zack Baun is adjusting to his new standing with the Eagles as a leader and face of the defense

A lot has changed in a year for Zack Baun, whose journey from a little-known hybrid edge rusher who signed with the Eagles on a one-year deal to an All-Pro off-ball linebacker under the tutelage of Vic Fangio has been well documented over that time.

He’s gone from who’s that guy? to the poster boy for what can happen. Nick Sirianni mentioned Baun’s journey in a team meeting recently. It hit home for edge rusher Josh Uche, a second-round pick by New England in 2020 who is on his third team after he was traded to Kansas City last season.

On Tuesday, after the Eagles finished their final offseason workout before training camp begins in July, Baun said Uche is “really inspired to try to take that same trajectory, that same path.”

Baun stayed on the sidelines during team sessions Tuesday because of what he called “general soreness,” but he spent a good chunk of time standing with first-round pick Jihaad Campbell, who is recovering from shoulder surgery and also sat out for competitive drills. Baun is the $51 million man who vaulted to the top of the depth chart and is now the guy people want advice from.

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It’s a bit of an awkward transition for a self-described quiet guy who was somewhat of a cast-off when he arrived for organized team activities last summer. Leading is something Baun has to be intentional about now. The Eagles lost big voices in Brandon Graham and C.J. Gardner-Johnson, and while Jalen Carter might be the best player in Fangio’s unit, Baun is the 28-year-old center of the defense.

“It’s different for me because obviously I’m a quiet guy,” Baun said. “I don’t really say much. I kind of keep to myself naturally. I’m more of a lead-by-example type of guy. But as I’m feeling more comfortable connecting with the guys in the locker room, I feel way more natural talking to everyone now and really pushing that more vocal leader now.”

Baun is now the oldest player among the linebackers after Oren Burks departed in free agency. He’s also the one with the most experience with the Eagles as long as Nakobe Dean remains on the mend and not on the field. Besides Campbell, the Eagles also have Jeremiah Trotter Jr., a second-year linebacker, plus rookies in fifth-round pick Smael Mondon and undrafted free agent Lance Dixon, as well as Dallas Gant, a second-year player who spent most of last season on the practice squad.

“This year is definitely a transition to 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 in special teams or at linebacker,” Baun said. “A couple guys around the league have reached out to me, career special teams players that are inspired by my story. That’s really cool and special to me.”

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There are different types of leaders, Baun said, and he’s “still trying to figure out who I want to be and how I want to do this.” He’s been around “rah-rah” leaders like Demario Davis in New Orleans and the aforementioned Eagles players who are no longer here.

“I’m definitely trying to do it my way,” Baun said.

Baun has plenty of time to figure that part out as the Eagles broke Tuesday for the next five weeks before returning to the NovaCare Complex for training camp on July 22.

It’s unclear who will line up next to Baun in Week 1. Dean (knee) likely won’t be ready for the start of the season, and it’s unclear when Campbell will be ready to fully participate in team drills. Trotter has taken the bulk of first-team reps with Dean and Campbell down, and Baun said he’s seen improvement in Trotter’s “overall feel for the game.”

As for himself, Baun’s goals last year were to hit 100 tackles and make an impact on defense. He tallied 151 tackles during the regular season, then remained a tackling force while adding two interceptions during the Eagles’ Super Bowl run. He became one of the more surprising All-Pro selections in recent memory.

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Asked Tuesday about his 2025 goals, Baun said he was sticking to the fundamentals right now and would worry about goal-setting later.

It will be hard to top what he accomplished over the last year. He not only changed the trajectory of his career, but also was part of the reason the Eagles seemingly changed the way they value his position. They paid him $51 million and then drafted an off-ball ’backer in the first round before selecting another later in the draft.

“Definitely valued. Definitely appreciated,” Baun said. “It also comes with a lot of responsibility. There’s a lot of money in our room now and there’s also a standard that was set last year. Holding that standard and getting the new guys up to that standard is going to be crucial moving forward.”