There is no position coach in the NFL under more pressure to live up to their predecessor than Philadelphia Eagles offensive line coach Chris Kuper, as he follows in the footsteps of 13-year offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland.
Kuper takes over for Stoutland after spending the last few years coaching the Minnesota Vikings' offensive line, but still has to take over a guy who has coached future Hall of Famers Jason Kelce and Lane Johnson. Eagles starting left Jordan Mailata seems to be enjoying his time with Kuper so far and learning from him.
“Chris is awesome," Mailata said via Inside the Birds' Andrew DiCecco. "Chris has been a great addition to the team so far. He’s bringing on new techniques. I think he’s very familiar with this new scheme that we have. His experience and knowledge within the scheme is really translating from the classroom to the field right now, and we’re learning a bunch of stuff.”
Chris Kuper is off to a good start, but still has a lot to live up to
The good news is that Kuper has a great offensive line to coach with Mailata, Johnson, Landon Dickerson, Cam Jurgens, and Tyler Steen all up front. That's three Pro Bowlers and an All-Pro, giving Kuper a massive advantage right away.
Where Kuper is going to be challenged as an offensive line coach is how he does with the two drafted rookies, third-round pick Markel Bell and sixth-round pick Micah Morris. Now there might not be as much pressure to develop Morris, as he is seen more as an emergency if Dickerson gets hurt or retires early, but Bell has to be a star, as he is the successor to Johnson at right tackle.
Health is a big thing with the Eagles' offensive line, as Johnson, Dickerson, and Jurgens all dealt with injuries throughout the season. Where Kuper has to excel is in ensuring that young linemen like Bell, Morris, Cameron Williams, Myles Hinton, Drew Kendall, Jake Majors, and John Ojukwu develop properly.
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The Eagles' offense is fully loaded with weapons at every position, but, as with last year, the offensive line can make or break this unit. Those five starters up front have to play better than they did in 2025, and Kuper is responsible for making sure that happens right away.
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