Eagles fans had plenty of reasons to worry when Jeff Stoutland left and Chris Kuper was handed the job of coaching the offensive line. That kind of handoff can get messy fast, especially when a legend walks out and a new face walks in.
So far, though, the early returns have been hard to ignore.
Through two preseason games, Philadelphia’s backup line has looked far sturdier than anyone had reason to expect. In the Eagles’ 24-7 loss to the Baltimore Ravens, the group of Jake Majors, Micah Morris, Willie Lampkin, Markel Bell and Drew Kendall logged 68 pass-protection snaps without allowing a sack, a hurry or a quarterback hit. The offense as a whole was rough, but the line depth held up.
The next week against the New England Patriots, in a 24-21 loss, that same story mostly carried over. NBC Sports Philadelphia’s Ryan Fowler reported the numbers on how those linemen performed, and once again the results pointed in a positive direction.
Kendall and Lampkin were taken out early, which suggests both could be in a strong position on the roster. After two preseason games, plenty of people are starting to view them as locks for the 53-man roster.
There’s also reason for Eagles fans to be encouraged by what they’ve seen from Bell and Morris. Bell is being viewed as the future replacement for Lane Johnson at right tackle, while Morris could provide depth at either guard spot after Landon Dickerson’s injury problems last season.
Majors has made his own case too. He’s competing as a backup center and guard, and while he may be getting more chances than the others, he’s done well with them.
That kind of progress points directly back to Kuper’s work during OTAs and training camp. Last preseason, Philadelphia’s backup offensive linemen struggled badly. This year, the group has looked organized and effective.
The numbers back that up. Those five linemen have allowed just one sack across the two games, and against New England they helped open the run game enough for the Eagles to finish with 90 yards on 24 carries and one touchdown.
It’s still early, and preseason games only tell part of the story. But after two outings, Kuper has already put the offensive line’s young group in a far better spot than where it was a year ago.
Stoutland set a high standard. Even so, the Eagles may have found that bringing in Kuper was the right move, and that fresh voice is already paying off in Philadelphia.
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