Packers need once-productive weapon to step up and help the offense keep performing at a high level
Tight end Luke Musgrave becomes a starter against after Tucker Kraft’s serious knee injury.
The Green Bay Packers’ offense will look different moving forward. With Tucker Kraft out for the season with a torn ACL, a big part of the offensive versatility and the so-called illusion of complexity goes away. Kraft is a positive blocker, a solid receiver, and a great weapon to break tackles and generate yards after the catch. This is something the Packers won’t be able to replicate.
But that doesn’t mean the offense can’t operate at a high level. It’s just going to be different, stylistically.
Luke Musgrave will have a major role
As a rookie, Musgrave looked like a rising star. The second-round pick was a starter from Day 1, playing over Tucker Kraft, and was a big part of the passing offense — he was on a pace to break the Packers’ franchise receiving yardage record for a rookie tight end. Since then, though, multiple injuries and Kraft’s ascension made him a smaller piece of the puzzle. Head coach Matt LaFleur, though, still trusts him.
“[Musgrave] is a guy we’ve got a ton of confidence in,” LaFleur said on Monday. “His career got started off facing a little adversity, being in and out of the lineup with some injuries, but he definitely brings a vertical presence, and we’re going to have to put him in situations where he can utilize his strengths.”
Kraft is obviously better in yards after the catch — he’s been the best in the entire NFL doing that. He had 10.8 yards after the catch per reception, while Musgrave has had 2.9. Even when Musgrave was playing at a high level in 2023, that number was 5.2.
However, Musgrave is a more dangerous downfield threat. His average depth of target is 8.8, while Kraft’s was 4.8 in 2025. Kraft is a more well-rounded tight end, but the Packers have pieces to overcome his absence to a certain extent, and Musgrave is a part of it. He might not have a big role as a backup tight end, because he isn’t a great blocker or special teamer. But with a defined offensive role, there is something to take advantage of.
“I’m sure there’s going to be some tweaks, just like with the difference in the receiver room,” LaFleur explained. “You ask some guys to run choice routes and others to run the deeper-developing routes. So there’ll be some tweaks in that regard.”
Luke Musgrave’s key stats in 2025
- 2.9 yards after the catch per reception
- 1.26 yards per route run
- 8.8 average depth of target
- 103.3 passer rating when targeted
It will be a combination of strengths to replace what Kraft can do. Musgrave forces the Packers to be pass-heavier and more aggressive, John FitzPatrick is a viable blocker, and wide receiver Jayden Reed (when he returns from a broken collarbone) can offer the ability to get yards after the catch.
“That’s the beauty of having multiple guys you feel confident in, you just have to pivot,” LaFleur added. “That’s part of this game. You have to adapt to the circumstances that are presented to you, especially when it comes to personnel.”
There’s no way around it, losing Tucker Kraft is a big deal for the offense. But the unit can still be good, and Matt LaFleur has the tools to make it happen.
This article was originally published on A to Z Sports Green Bay, as “Packers need once-productive weapon to step up and help the offense keep performing at a high level.”
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