No assistant position coach in the NFL had more pressure entering the 2026 season than Philadelphia Eagles offensive line coach Chris Kuper.
The Eagles saw long-time legendary offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland leave the team in the offseason. That led new Eagles offensive coordinator Sean Mannion to hire Kuper in the same role he held with the Minnesota Vikings over the last four years.
Many were concerned that Kuper would not be brought back by the Vikings in the offseason, and that it was a bad sign the Eagles made a mistake hiring him. The first two preseason games tell a much different story.
Chris Kuper might end up being the home run hire of 2026 for the Eagles
In the Eagles' 24-7 preseason opening loss to the Baltimore Ravens, the backups between Jake Majors, Micah Morris, Willie Lampkin, Markel Bell, and Drew Kendall combined for 68 pass-pro snaps. They allowed no sacks, hurries, or quarterback hits. The offense didn't look good, but the offensive line's depth was on full display.
Well, in the Eagles' 24-21 preseason loss to the New England Patriots, not much really changed there. NBC Sports Philadelphia's Ryan Fowler provided the numbers on how those same linemen did in the contest.
Jake Majors (26 pass pro snaps):
0 sacks // 0 pressures // 0 hurries
Markel Bell (11 snaps):
0 sacks // 0 pressures // 0 hurries
Willie Lampkin (7):
0 sacks // 0 pressures // 0 hurries
Drew Kendall (7):
0 sacks // 0 pressures // 0 hurries
Micah Morris (20):
1 sacks // 1 pressure // 0 hurries
Kendall and Lampkin were pulled early from the game, suggesting their status on the roster may be in a really good spot. Many are starting to believe that they are locks to make the 53-man roster after two games.
Seeing rookies Bell and Morris play well is refreshing for the Eagles' fans. Bell is seen as the future successor to Lane Johnson at right tackle, and Morris could give the Eagles insurance at either right or left guard after Landon Dickerson's injury issues last year.
Even Majors has been impressive, as he tries to make the roster as a hybrid backup center and guard. He might be getting more reps than the others, and he is performing well.
Their success really comes down to Kuper's work during OTAs and training camp so far. Last year, the Eagles' backup offensive linemen really struggled in preseason, but this line is dominating.
Those five have only allowed one sack in two games. During the Patriots game, they opened up the running game to end with 90 yards on 24 carries and one touchdown.
Maybe it's premature to pat Kuper on the back, especially since it is only preseason and the Eagles have played just two games. Still, it feels like the work he is putting into the younger guys has put the future of the offensive line in a much better spot. That has to count for something.
Read more: Ty Robinson proved Vic Fangio right after dominating Eagles-Patriots game
As great as Stoutland was, maybe the Eagles' move to bring in Kuper was the best thing for the team. A new voice with a fresh perspective seems to be working in Philly's favor so far.
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