Latest contract intel confirms suspicions about the Packers’ extension talks with Tucker Kraft
Packers are expected to reach a long-term extension with tight end Tucker Kraft soon, and he will reset the market at his position.
Green Bay Packers tight end Tucker Kraft is expected to receive a contract extension before the start of the regular season, and according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the deal will potentially make him the highest-paid tight end in NFL history by average annual salary.
The Packers are negotiating a long-term deal with Kraft, who is entering the final year of his rookie contract. The current top of the tight end market belongs to San Francisco 49ers’ George Kittle at $19.1 million per year and Arizona Cardinals’ Trey McBride at $19 million per year. Schefter’s prediction pushes Kraft well past both.
Schefter said on Thursday on ESPN Milwaukee that the number will start with a two, meaning Kraft’s average yearly salary will be at least $20 million. That figure would reset the tight end market entirely.
Kraft and LaPorta will leapfrog the field
Kraft isn’t the only tight end expecting a new deal soon. Detroit Lions’ Sam LaPorta is also in line for an extension, and the two players will likely surpass the current top of the market in succession. Whichever player signs first will reset the market, and then the other will push it even higher.
The Packers are projected to finalize Kraft’s extension between now and the start of the regular season, making him and LaPorta the two highest-paid tight ends in NFL history by yearly average.
Right now, Kraft is set to make $3.674 million in the final year of his rookie deal because he earned the proven performance escalator by reaching playing-time incentives. The Packers want to get the extension done before the regular season, especially because Kraft is now fully healthy from the ACL injury he suffered in Week 9 of the 2025 season against the Carolina Panthers.
Therefore, the Packers have the security of paying a player who is expected to be ready for the Week 1 matchup against the Minnesota Vikings. When a team is about to make someone the highest-paid player at his position in the NFL, knowing he’s healthy is critical.
Production supports the price tag
Kraft has been one of the most productive players on the Packers’ offense since he was drafted, but over the past two years in particular. In 2024, he posted 50 catches, 707 yards, and seven touchdowns. Last year, he was on pace to earn All-Pro recognition before the ACL injury cut his season short in Week 9. Even so, he finished 2025 with 30 receptions, 469 yards, and six touchdowns in limited action.
With a long-term extension in place and full health restored, Kraft’s future in Green Bay will be secure. He is one of the most impactful long-term pieces for the Packers’ offense, and that’s exactly why the front office wants to keep him around.
