The Process: Fangio’s Defensive Expertise Shines Light on…

Zack Baun was a low-key Eagles addition in free agency this spring.

A rare targeted bargain, the athletic Baun signed a one-year, $1.6 million deal with incentives that could push that to $3.5M with Philadelphia early in free agency after four years as a solid special teams player who occasionally showed some promise as an edge rusher in New Orleans.

GM Howie Roseman intimated that Baun was brought in as a potential fit for the hybrid edge/flat defender role Andrew Van Ginkel, ironically a close friend and former college teammate of Baun’s at Wisconsin, excelled at for Vic Fangio in Miami.

Instead, when Fangio got a look at Baun the veteran defensive coordinator saw off-ball linebacker and the results have been spectacular.

Through the Eagles’ 6-2 start, Baun has started every game alongside middle linebacker Nakobe Dean and he’s graded out as the sixth-best ILB in the NFL to date and No. 2 in pass coverage, trailing only All-Pro Fred Warner.

In 467 reps, Baun has a team-high 78 tackles, 37 stops, a forced fumble, two sacks, five hurries, an interception, and a PBU while allowing a 73.3 passer rating when being targeted.

On Tuesday, Fangio was asked if he was ever worried about how others perceived Baun during his evaluation.

“No, I don’t consider that at all,” Fangio said. “I trust my own eyes, my own experience, and go by that.”

It’s a self-assuredness that only experience can provide and Fangio’s expertise before evolving into one of the best defensive minds in football came as a linebackers coach.

“I would say linebackers. Just because that was what I coached for a long time. I’ve watched a lot of linebackers,” Fangio said when asked what he evaluates best.

Fangio’s template for the position has evolved as the league has changed.

“Back in the day, I had [former NFL LBs] Sam Mills, Von Johnson. … More currently, [Ravens LB] Roquan Smith, [49ers LB] Fred Warner, [and former NFL LBs] NaVorro Bowman, [and] Patrick Willis. I haven’t been associated with Warner, but those other three I have been.”

“It’s changed drastically,” Fangio explained. “It used to be when the fullback disappeared, the ILBs duties changed. It’s just as simple as that. You used to be able to play with some overachieving-type ILBs that could be stout against the run, cover a back in the flat. But now with the game spread out, they are in open spaces way more.”

Fangio has seen so much football that he never second-guesses an evaluation, something that has paid dividends for the Eagles with is assessment of Baun.

“There are a lot of people that want to know what the majority are thinking and kind of take the easy way out, but I’ve never been that guy,” Fangio said.