Lost in the perceived needs at wide receiver this offseason is the potential of tight ends Tucker Kraft and Luke Musgrave in the Green Bay Packers' passing game as the duo enters Year 3 in the NFL in 2025.
While the Packers won't have Christian Watson to start the season, and the offense needs more from Jayden Reed, Romeo Doubs and Dontayvion Wicks, Kraft and Musgrave -- if healthy -- could provide a big part of the answer to the questions facing the passing game.
"I think it's going to be a great year for both those guys," coach Matt LaFleur said from the Annual League Meeting last week.
Kraft, who emerged as one of the NFL's best young tight ends in 2024, caught 50 passes for 707 yards and seven scores across 70 targets last season. He averaged 10.1 yards per target and led all tight ends in average yards after the catch but only averaged 2.9 catches per game. The Packers sound like they've discovered ways to get him more involved on a week to week basis.
“I think there’s some things we can do schematically with him that maybe we haven’t done in the past, so that’s why I’m excited to get everybody back and try to implement some of the ideas that we got from watching tape and collectively as a staff," LaFleur said. "Because there is one thing that is evident when you watch: When Tuck gets the ball, usually good things happen. He’s a powerful dude, he runs extremely hard, I love how he finishes."
Getting Kraft more easy catches with run-after-catch possibilities has to be a focus of the Packers offense in 2025. While a terrific athlete with good hands and blocking ability, Kraft's toughness with the ball in his hands is his elite trait -- and one the Packers need to take full advantage of next season.
Musgrave is more of a question mark after two injury-plagued seasons to start his career. He's played in only 18 of his first 34 regular season games, and after catching 34 passes as a rookie, Musgrave had only seven catches for 45 yards and played in only seven games due to an ankle injury in 2024.
"I'm excited for Luke. He's had a great offseason. He's been training in Green Bay. He's bigger, stronger, faster. He's attacking it the right way," LaFleur told Larry McCarren of Packers.com.
Musgrave's elite trait is speed. Standing 6-6, Musgrave ran 4.6 in the 40-yard dash at the combine in 2023. He could help the Packers replace some of the vertical presence of Watson, who could miss half the season or more in 2025. Like Watson, Musgrave has the rare size/speed combo. But he must stay on the field as a third-year player.
"I think we can all see the talent the guy has," LaFleur said.
Tight ends traditionally take time to get acclimated to the professional game. The position requires so much physical and mental load, given how important tight ends are to both the run game and the pass game. Kraft and Musgrave are entering the stage where tight ends often take off.
While the Packers are expected to add at receiver in the NFL draft, it will be interesting to see how often LaFleur utilizes two tight end sets, especially as the Packers center the offense around Pro Bowl running back Josh Jacobs more and more. Having Kraft and Musgrave as a versatile combo at tight end could help the Packers be more effective running the football and more dangerous in the play-action passing game.
The receivers in Green Bay ...
