His first day in Philly after signing with the Eagles, Zach Baun drove over to the NovaCare Complex to see his new workplace, and the first person he ran into was Nakobe Dean.
“He was hanging out in the locker room,” Baun recalled. “First dude I met on the team. So he just said to me, ‘Let's get to work.’ And it just went on from there.”
That was back in March, and there were huge question marks around both guys. Kind of like the linebacker position most years around here.
Baun had never played off-ball linebacker, other than a handful of snaps with the Saints. And Dean was going into Year 3 having barely played as a rookie and missing most of last year with foot injuries.
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So both got to work not just figuring out their roles and learning what new defensive coordinator Vic Fangio wanted out of them but learning to work together. Because you can have two gifted linebackers, but if they’re not locked into each other, it won’t work.
“That doesn't come natural at all,” Baun said after practice Wednesday. “It's something you have to really work at. And obviously it helps that he's one of my closest friends on the team, you know? So we talk all the time. If I'm here, I'm probably with Nakobe. And just spending quality time connecting off the field as well.
“We sit close to each other in meetings, we sit in special teams meetings together,” Baun said. “We're working out together, our lockers are right next to each other. I think that's really crucial to the production. Our whole linebacker group is really close to each other.”
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It hasn’t been perfect and Baun and Dean both had some ups and downs earlier in the year, Baun dealing with cut blocks and Dean with tackling.
But this past weekend, in the Eagles’ win over the Bengals, they were the top two-rated linebackers in the entire NFL, according to Pro Football Focus. For what it’s worth, training camp starter Devin White – now with the Texans – ranked 82nd of 83.
Baun and Dean are inseparable off the field, and they play like it on the field.
“Oh man, it helps a lot,” Dean said after practice. “As close as we thought we were, it seems like every game we get closer and closer and closer. Like we had a little Halloween party, I got to meet his wife, he got to meet my girlfriend, so we just continue to get closer and it helps us hold each other accountable.
“When you're out there with guys, sometimes you can almost be hesitant trying to hold somebody accountable. You don't want to hurt somebody's feelings. But that’s never the case with us. That’s our personality, we're just not going to let you slide.”
During the Eagles’ three-game winning streak, the Eagles’ defense has held the Browns, Giants and Bengals to just 29 points and 215 yards per game – both best in the NFL over the last few weeks.
Baun has 26 tackles and a forced fumble during this stretch and Dean has 32 tackles, five quarterback hits, two sacks, three tackles for loss and a fumble recovery just during these last three games.
“I think they're both getting better and better each and every week,” Fangio said. “In Zack's case, he's never played inside linebacker, so this whole season is new to him. Nakobe played it in college, but didn't play much his first two years (in the NFL).
“As far as being an (inside linebacker), Nakobe actually has more experience. But they've both done a good job growing in the position. I think Bobby (King, inside linebackers coach) has done a really good job coaching them. They're getting better and better.”
On Sunday, Baun and Dean combined for a takeaway when Baun punched the ball out of the hands of tight end Pete Gesicki and Dean recovered.
It was the first opponent’s fumble the Eagles have recovered since Fletcher Cox strip-sacked Dak Prescott last December.
“I feel like we complement each other well,” Dean said. “We also compete with each other in everything. He got the first fumble. We keep every linebacker takeaway ball in the linebacker room. We see it every day. He got one, I got none. I got to get on my high horse.”
It might be too early for this conversation, but the Eagles haven’t had an off-ball linebacker make the Pro Bowl since Jeremiah Trotter, and that was so long ago his son now plays for the Eagles and shares that linebacker room with Baun and Dean.
But that’s the goal. The team that brought you Matt McCoy, Dhani Jones, Jamar Chaney, Brian Rolle and Nate Gerry now has a pair of linebackers that are actually fun to watch and getting better every week.
“What drives me and Nakobe, he wants to be the best linebacker in the league, I want to be the best linebacker in the league,” Baun said. “And if both of us have that mindset, I think we'll go a long way.”
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