Chris Kuper’s first preseason snapshot as the Philadelphia Eagles’ offensive line coach has been encouraging, with the team’s backup linemen producing 68 pass-protection snaps against the Baltimore Ravens without allowing a sack, hurry or quarterback hit.
That is exactly the sort of start the Eagles wanted after an offseason change that put Kuper under the spotlight. He replaced Jeff Stoutland after four years in the same role with the Minnesota Vikings, and the early question was whether Philadelphia would still have reliable depth behind its regular starters.
Why the early returns matter
The answer, at least in the opening preseason game, was yes. In the Eagles’ 24-7 loss to the Ravens, the protection numbers were clean across the board, with no sacks, hurries or quarterback hits surrendered on those 68 snaps.
For a coach stepping into a high-expectation environment, that is a useful benchmark. Preseason results do not settle anything on their own, but they can show whether the coaching transition is holding up in the areas that usually expose weaker depth.
More of the same against New England
The Eagles then followed up with a 24-21 preseason loss to the New England Patriots, and again there were positive signs in the line rotation. Jake Majors, Markel Bell, Willie Lampkin, Drew Kendall and Micah Morris all logged pass-protection work, with the group continuing to give the offense a workable base up front.
The verified numbers for that second game point to a mixed but still encouraging picture. Drew Kendall was involved in 26 pass-pro snaps, while Willie Lampkin played 11 snaps and Micah Morris 7. Majors and Bell also featured, and the overall theme remained the same: the Eagles were able to get through the game without the kind of protection collapse that often raises alarms this early in camp.
What Chris Kuper has shown so far
That is the key takeaway for Kuper. The Eagles are not being judged on preseason wins and losses here, but on whether they can trust their line depth if injuries force changes during the 2026 season.
For now, the signs are solid. A clean first outing against the Ravens, followed by another mostly steady showing against the Patriots, suggests Philadelphia may have more usable protection depth than some teams do at this stage of the year.
The next step is simple enough: repeat it when the games start to matter. If Kuper’s unit can carry these habits into the 53-man roster decisions and beyond, the Eagles will have turned an offseason coaching change into an early strength rather than a concern.
