The Green Bay Packers received good news at Tuesday’s practice when second-year tight end Tucker Kraft passed his physical and returned to practice for the first time since training camp began. Now, the second-year tight end out of South Dakota State needs to catch up and prepare for the 2024 NFL season. Head coach Matt LaFleur and the coaching staff are happy to get Kraft back at practice.
Packers TE Tucker Kraft Returns to Practice: The Rookie Season
The Packers selected Kraft in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft. Kraft was one of two tight ends GM Brian Gutekunst took on day two of the draft with the other being Luke Musgrave.
Kraft took longer to adjust to life in the NFL than Musgrave. When the season started, Kraft did not see much action in the offense. When he did see the field, he was mostly used as a blocker. The rookie was a willing blocker and improved as the season progressed, but he was far from an elite blocker for the run. In the first nine games of the season, Kraft caught just three passes for 11 yards and was targeted just five times.
But when Musgrave suffered a lacerated kidney midseason, Kraft became the starting tight end. Suddenly, the rookie became a reliable target who was able to take short passes and turn them into longer gains with his ability to run after the catch. Kraft finished the season with 31 catches for 355 yards and two touchdowns. He added five catches for 24 yards and a score in the Packers two playoff games.
A Rough Offseason
During the offseason, Kraft suffered a torn pectoral muscle while working out. The muscle actually popped off the bone while the tight end was bench pressing. That caused him to miss all of the Packers offseason workouts. He also started training camp on the PUP list and missed the first 10 practices before the Packers activated him on Tuesday of this week.
Kraft expressed his frustration with the injury at OTAs. “I’m just ready to take off in this league and establish myself as a football player, really. That’s where my frustration lies,” he told reporters. “I was really excited about this offseason. To have the whole offseason; to get running off the football again, get my second step down, my landmark. What I want to establish this year is I want to be the best ‘Y’ in the outside zone, running the ball at the tight end. That’s my individual goal for the season. That just opens up so many avenues.”
Now that he’s returned to the lineup, Kraft can start working on his blocking and getting back up to speed on the offense.
Packers TE Tucker Kraft Returns to Practice: What Lies Ahead
The Packers have announced that they will be bringing Kraft along slowly. LaFleur already said neither Kraft nor Zach Tom, who suffered a similar torn pectoral injury this offseason, will play in the team’s first preseason game against Cleveland this Saturday.
“I think that’s usually the best course of action,” LaFleur told reporters on Tuesday. “We’ve got a good plan for him. It’s just good to get him out there.”
The head coach was also confident that Kraft could catch up after missing the first 10 practices of training camp. “I think it’s definitely an obstacle,” LaFleur said. “It’s definitely a challenge. But I think he’s ready to meet that challenge head on. This guy, from the time he’s gotten here to right now, I mean, he’s never shied away from work, and he’ll do everything in his power to become the best player that he can become.”
LaFleur will be excited to have both Kraft and Musgrave available and healthy at the same time. Having two quality tight ends with contrasting skill sets will give the Green Bay offense many chances to create coverage mismatches.
If Kraft and Musgrave can take their game to the next level in year two of their NFL careers, the Packers could have the most dangerous and productive tight end duo since Mark Chmura and Keith Jackson teamed up during their 1996 Super Bowl run.
So, the 2024 NFL season begins now for Kraft. He is determined to make it a good sophomore campaign.
