Zaven Collins was standing on the field as the first practice of training camp was getting underway when he got punched -- presumably playfully -- in the stomach.

"I was like, 'Who the hell is this?'" the linebacker said, recounting the story later with a smile. "It's Budda."

Indeed, safety Budda Baker was not only at practice but also practicing on Wednesday, answering a big question hovering over the team since the offseason. Baker has made it known he wanted an upward-and-outward adjustment on his contract (he has two years left and $27 million left on his deal), leading some to wonder if that would be an issue once camp started.

It was not.

"He's excited," coach Jonathan Gannon said. "He's got a big smile on his face. He's good to go."

Gannon said before practice he would keep the discussions between he and Baker "between us," but "you'll see him out there today."

Maybe not Collins, at least not soon enough before the sneak attack. But Baker, alfter not working with the team all offseason, was where he had always been, next to fellow safety Jalen Thompson.

Baker was not available for comment.

"He was like, 'Are you ready?'" Collins recalled. "Budda always brings that type of energy. Budda will hold everyone accountable. I remember my rookie season, I messed up a simple play, and he was on the sideline telling me every name in the book. I remember that day vividly. But it wasn't that he was trying to be harsh toward me. It was because he was trying to make me better.

"That's something Budda brings."