Packers long-term outlook at key position creates even more urgency for quick contract extension resolution
Tight ends Tucker Kraft, Luke Musgrave, Josh Whyle, Messiah Swinson, and Drake Dabney are all entering a contract year in Green Bay.
Look at a yearly table with positional groupings on the Green Bay Packers’ roster and you’ll reach an obvious (and somewhat troubling) conclusion. There is one tight end under contract with the Packers beyond 2026. And yes, it’s undrafted rookie RJ Maryland.
Contract situation
Starter and rising star Tucker Kraft is in a contract year. Because he reached a Level 1 proven performance escalator, he is set to make $3.674 million in 2026, counting $3.93 million against the salary cap. Luke Musgrave ($2.696 million cap hit) and Josh Whyle ($1.857 million) are also in contract year and expected to hit unrestricted free agency in 2027.
Messiah Swinson and Drake Dabney, who spent parts of last season on the practice squad, are making veteran minimum salaries and will be exclusive rights free agents next offseason. They could easily be back in 2027, but are not exactly a definitive solution to the problem.
Pressure to extend Kraft
Extending Tucker Kraft is one of the top priorities for the Packers between now and the regular season. His return from an ACL injury is a complicating factor, but he’s only 25 and has shown glimpses of elite play. Spotrac projects his extension to be around a four-year, $62 million contract. That’s $15.5 million per year, and he could easily make more than that in real world.
Still, presuming Kraft comes back fully healthy, is an extremely reasonable value considering his production and the Packers’ issues to replace him.
More options
The Packers actually tried to add more young tight ends to the depth this offseason. Let’s say luck hasn’t been on their side. First, there was a run of Y-tight ends in the draft nobody predicted.
“That was one thing coming out of this draft, it would have been nice to add a Y-tight end kind of body,” Packers GM Brian Gutekunst said after the draft. “We weren’t really able to accomplish that. There aren’t a ton of those guys coming out of college, not a lot of places use them. So we certainly have guys in that room that can do some of that, but that’ll be something we’ll probably continue to look at.”
Since the draft, beyond Maryland, the Packers signed undrafted rookie Eni Falayi and claimed Luke Lachey off waivers, but both failed their physicals.
There are still some options in free agency, but it’s hard to find an actual long-term alternative there. For now, the Packers have to extend Kraft and hope that he stays healthy. And the front office can address the depth problem once again next year.