Spadaro: Chris Kuper ready to see the offensive line in action

The new position coach administered a transition for established starters, while cultivating promising depth across the line. Dave Spadaro Chris Kuper has spent a full spring and an entire summer leading the Eagles' offensive line room. He is the head man there, the teacher, the one tasked with integrating the tantalizing mix of high-level talent with young prospects into a new offensive scheme and, honestly, he is loving every bit of it. The Eagles Way is to have the veterans lead the way and set an example and help the younger players grow and that is exactly what Kuper is experiencing. "We've come a long way," Kuper said on Thursday at the Jefferson Health Training Complex. "Still not there yet in terms of where I think we're going to be at the end of the season, but these guys make it really fun to come to work every day. They're very much into their job and mastering their craft, which is what we kind of harp on in the room every day. "They're doing a good job bringing up some of the younger guys. It's been fun. We're making strides and we'll put ourselves to the test here in Week 1." Week 1 is when Washington comes to Lincoln Financial Field to open the regular season and we'll all get a glimpse of the new-look Eagles offense. The key to success is winning at the line of scrimmage and that is something Kuper, of course, recognizes. More reps. More work. More trust. Kuper has a different system than what was in place previously, so the veterans along the offensive line all five starters, Jordan Mailata, Landon Dickerson, Cam Jurgens, Tyler Steen, and Lane Johnson are learning a new way of doing things. The Eagles have the highest standards for the line of scrimmage, understandably, so the level of success to date has only been measured in practice time on the field together. On September 13 is when the reps count in the standings. To that point, Kuper runs a demanding practice and holds his players accountable. That's the whole point here: Practice hard, play well. A bright spot in the offseason has been the offensive line, not just the starting five, but the backup group of players who have impressed. Drew Kendall, Fred Johnson, Micah Morris, Willie Lampkin, and Markell Bell have earned Kuper's confidence. The interior backup players have combined for one one! NFL start. Those players have made Kuper believe in them. "The interior backup guys Willie and Drew they just made the most of their opportunities," Kuper said. "Just testing these guys to see what they're capable of, and then doing it again and again and again. Could they give you the consistency that you're looking for? Well, we got something with this guy. We've got both of them. Drew has had a phenomenal camp, too. All of these guys have had phenomenal camps I'm excited to see it come to life." Kuper played eight seasons in the NFL, was good enough to become a Pro Bowl guard, and has coached in the league since 2016. He relates to his players, learns from them, and has developed a close, trusting relationship with the room. And now it's almost "go" time for the regular season. We will all find out how much progress the group one that Kuper thinks can lead a very strong running game has made. "There are some guys who have started a ton of games in this league," said Kuper, citing a statistic Head Coach Nick Sirianni introduced at a team meeting that the offensive line room has had 431 starts in the NFL. "I learn as much from these guys as I hope they learn from me. Hopefully, I can give them some tools and tips as well." PhiladelphiaEagles.com