Eagles Breakout Star Still Figuring Out New, Unfamiliar Role

Zack Baun knows he has to up his leadership game. Just how to go about it, well, he’s still figuring that out. His All-Pro breakout season last year, earning the biggest contract a linebacker has ever been given by the Eagles, has thrust him into a role that is mostly foreign to him.

“It's kind of different for me,” the linebacker said. “Obviously, I'm a quiet guy. I kinda don't say much and try to keep things to myself naturally. I'm more of a lead by example type guy, but as I feel more comfortable towards the guys in the locker room - I feel more natural talking to everyone and being that more vocal leader now.”

The Eagles lost some leadership on the defensive side of the ball, with Brandon Graham retiring and Darius Slay leaving in free agency. Both players were captains. Another great leaders is still around, but Nakobe Dean is trying to return from a patellar tendon tear in his knee in early January, so he’s around, but he isn’t.

Baun rarely came off the field last year. He played 939 snaps (95 percent), which was more than three times the amount he had played in his final season with the Saints in 2023, when he got 301 snaps (27 percent). His reward was a Super Bowl ring and a three-year contract that guarantees him $34 million and can be worth $51 million.

What Baun had in New Orleans was a great leader in linebacker DeMario Davis.

“I've had so many leaders,” said Baun. “There are so many different types of leaders. The quiet, more reserved, but you still really look up to them. DeMario Davis is one that will give you the ‘rah-rah’ speech. I'm still trying to figure out who I wanna be and how I wanna do this. I'm definitely trying to do this my own way.”