Vic Fangio Should Start To Think About Shaking Up Things At LB

it's been Devin White and Zack Baun at off-ball LB for the Eagles so far. That should change soon.

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Devin Leary (13) drops back to pass during the second half of a preseason game against the Philadelphia Eagles with Jeremiah Trotter Jr. (54) closing in. / Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

PHILADELPHIA - For the 11th consecutive practice on Sunday, the Eagles’ starting off-ball linebackers were Devin White and Zack Baun.

To those not interested in peeling back the onion any further the odds look good that the two prove-it free-agent signings will be the ones trying to deal with a talented Green Bay offense on Sept. 6.

As the calendar starts to creep into the dog days of August, however, Vic Fangio is not shortening up his rotation at LB

After the 16-13 preseason-opening win at Baltimore on Friday night where perceived backups --Nakobe Dean, Jeremiah Trotter Jr., and Ben VanSumeren -- all played well, a host of tandems were tried in practice.

Along with the default setting of White and Baun, White took reps with Dean, Dean was the only LB on the field in a dime look and also coupled with Trotter and Baun at times.

Of the 32 Eagles defenders graded by Pro Football Focus in Baltimore, VanSumeren was No. 2 behind edge rusher Patrick Johnson over his 19 reps. Dean was a step behind at No. 3 while also playing 19 snaps and Trotter was No. 19 over 29 reps.

Trotter, a fifth-round pick, was graded as No. 3 on the pass rush, however.

White and Baun started the game and played together for 14 reps. The former was pedestrian, ranking No. 21 of the 32 defenders and Baun struggled mightily with his run fits and coverage as the 29th-ranked player on that night.

Fangio admitted the backup trio played well against the Ravens but tempered the notion at least somewhat.

“I thought those guys played well, all three of them. And it was different,” Fangio said. “They had their twos and threes in there, too. You always have to temper it to a degree, but I was pleased with the way those three guys played.”

Of course, the Ravens did not play most of their offensive starters so it’s not like  White and Baun were struggling with Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry.

Fangio was asked about Baun’s instincts for the position after spending most of his time as an edge player in New Orleans.

“I believe he does [have the instincts]. He's had a good camp,” Fangio said before admitting Baltimore was not Baun’s best work. “His first few plays the other night, he didn't play correctly but overall, he's had a good camp.”

The odds of pairing White with Dean by the start of the season seem to be growing and if Trotter continues to develop he might push for playing time by midseason as a rookie. 

VanSumeren is expected to be a core special-teamer as he continues his development from a raw college prospect and Baun’s ultimate role may end up being similar to Andrew Van Ginkel’s in Miami as a hybrid edge rusher/off-ball LB. 

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