Packers ascending star still needs to develop in one area before becoming what he can truly be
Luke Musgrave was the start of last year's training camp for the Green Bay Packers. It's tough for rookies to have an immediate impact as a tight end for how complex the position is, but Musgrave's athletic ability and speed are so special that the coaching staff was truly excited about how it could use […]
Luke Musgrave was the start of last year's training camp for the Green Bay Packers. It's tough for rookies to have an immediate impact as a tight end for how complex the position is, but Musgrave's athletic ability and speed are so special that the coaching staff was truly excited about how it could use the young player.
And Musgrave did have an impact early on, until a lacerated kidney in late November made him miss six games. When he returned to the field late in the season, another rookie tight end, Tucker Kraft, had overtaken him.
For 2024, the Packers obviously intend to use both Kraft and Musgrave at a high rate. After all, they bring different attributes to the offense. However, Musgrave's lack of development in pass block is a real concern, and the main reason why Musgrave had a quiet camp this time around.
"(His camp) Was up and down," Packers offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich said. "I thought he made a lot of good strides in the pass game. There's still some stuff I'd like to see him work on. But I'm excited to see him play. He flashed some really special things out there at times."
Looking back at what Musgrave did as a rookie, you can clearly see how big is the gap between what he is as a pass catcher and as a blocker. He finished the season with a 64.2 PFF receiving grade, while the pass block grade was just 45.7. Kraft is a much more consistent all-around player, finishing the year with a 67.4 receiving grade and 67.7 pass block grade.
At the same time, Musgrave brings an explosive element that Kraft does not. Even though both generated similar numbers in yards per route run (1.28 to 1.20), and Kraft had an even better passer rating when targeted (121.7 to 105.0), Musgrave averaged more than two extra yards per target (7.4 to 5.3 ADoT). The nature of his style of play tends to be more risky, but the payoff is just too great for the Packers to pass up.
The Packers are happy to have both Kraft and Musgrave. Even though the former third-round pick started camp with a pec injury that prevented him from being on the field early on, he is still expected to be the so-called starter.
Musgrave is still the more dangerous weapon and might finish the season with more receiving yards and touchdowns, all things equal. However, if Musgrave wants to have a larger role within the offense and play more snaps, it's time to evolve and develop more skills beyond the natural ones.
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