Is Chris Kuper, Now With the Eagles, the Next Vikings O-Line Castoff to Find Success?

Kuper wasn’t retained after four seasons as Minnesota’s offensive line coach. Now, he’s been hired to do the same job for the Eagles under former Vikings quarterback-turned-offensive coordinator Sean Mannion.

Jan 13, 2025; Glendale, AZ, USA; Minnesota Vikings offensive line coach Chris Kuper against the Los Angeles Rams during an NFC wild card game at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The Philadelphia Eagles, one of the most respected organizations in the NFL, have found their new offensive line coach by hiring the guy the Minnesota Vikings dumped a few weeks ago.

Chris Kuper, whom the Vikings revealed they weren't retaining on Jan. 17, is being hired by the Eagles, according to Tom Pelissero. Kuper's contract with Minensoa had expired, and the team decided not to bring him back.

Interestingly, Kuper was Minnesota's O-line coach from 2022 to 2025. The last thing Vikings fans want to see is Kuper fail, but if he succeeds in Philadelphia it will be a continued trend in which the Vikings move on from members of the offensive line room and watch them have immense success elsewhere.

Garrett Bradbury just played in the Super Bowl with the Patriots, while Ed Ingram is likely going to get $15-plus million annually as a free agent guard after impressing in his first season with the Houston Texans. Both were starters on Minnesota's 2024-25 offensive line, and both struggled.

Why did they suddenly find success after leaving the Vikings? That's the million-dollar question, and if it happens again with Kuper, there will be more red flags about the offensive issues Minnesota has had recently under head coach Kevin O'Connell.

Kuper was an offensive lineman for the Denver Broncos from 2006 to 2013, and he began his NFL coaching career in 2016. After stops with the Broncos and Dolphins, he joined O'Connell's first staff in 2022.

The Vikings made a plethora of changes to their offensive line last offseason. They selected Donovan Jackson in the first round of the draft with the 24th overall pick, and they signed Ryan Kelly and Will Fries to lucrative free agent contracts. They were riddled with injuries as a unit throughout the year, but they still ranked outside the top half of many offensive line rankings throughout the year, despite the high-profile additions.

"The offensive line has never quite felt like a strength in the KOC era, although injuries this year hurt," Vikings On SI's Will Ragatz recently wrote about Kuper. "Players in years past, like Ed Ingram, Ezra Cleveland and Garrett Bradbury, have left and played well elsewhere, so a change shouldn't come as too much of a surprise after a down year overall for the Vikings."