Nothing ever seems to change with the Philadelphia Eagles when it comes to their defense, despite losing guys, they are still one of the best in the NFL.
A big reason for that is Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, who decided to stick around and plans on being with the team for a few more years. Eagles linebacker Zack Baun opened up about how the defense is evolving going into Fangio's third year of running the unit.
"I feel he's taking things to the next level this year," Baun said via philadelphiaeagles.com's Caroline Connor. "Even with his own scheme, he continues to develop and tweak and change."
Losing guys and starting new players doesn't change Eagles' defense
Baun has thrived in Fangio's defense over the last two years in Philly after making the Pro Bowl and All-Pro in 2024. The Eagles rewarded Baun with a new contract, as he followed it up with another Pro Bowl selection last season.
One thing about Fangio's defensive units is how much athleticism and versatility there is at every position. That gives the coach more flexibility to move guys around, which throws offenses off their game. It's certainly a key to this defense being a top 13 unit in each of the last two years.
Going into this season, though, Baun is dealing with a big change at linebacker as he will not have Nakobe Dean for the first time in his Eagles career. Dean signed a three-year contract with the Las Vegas Raiders in the offseason, which made it harder for Baun to see his friend walk out the door.
"It hurt to see him leave, but I'm happy to watch him go and I know he's going to succeed wherever he is," Baun said. "I thank him from the bottom of my heart."
Dean's departure now opens the door for Jihaad Campbell, who replaced him early last season when Dean was dealing with his injury. Campbell performed well in his rookie season, but now entering Year 2, Baun is taking his new sidekick under his wing and teaching him a thing or two.
"Just teaching small things like that I think are really influential to [Campbell] and his growth and development," Baun said. "You saw growth all throughout the season, so I'm really excited for him this upcoming season."
The Eagles' linebacker room is actually in pretty decent shape, even with Dean leaving the team. Campbell is a versatile weapon who can also rush on the outside, and Baun has proven he can do everything from helping in pass coverage to rushing the passer on blitzes. Eagles fans shouldn't sleep on Jeremiah Trotter Jr., though, as he had a great OTAs and is shaping up to be a great rotational linebacker for Philly.
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No matter who is lining up at linebacker, the Eagles are always going to have enough talent on defense to get the job done due to Fangio's coaching.
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