Tucker Kraft drops intriguing hint about Packers usage plan after ACL recovery, and his approach deserves plenty of attention
Tight end returned to team drills on Sunday, even though he is yet to sign a contract extension with Green Bay.
Green Bay Packers tight end Tucker Kraft returned to team drills on Sunday, and his performance offered the strongest signal yet that the offense will have its best weapon available for Week 1. Kraft hauled in several targets from quarterback Jordan Love, including a touchdown, during practice.
The question now centers on how the coaching staff manages his workload, and Kraft provided clarity after practice. The tight end explained that his rep count will be monitored early in the year, not because of any lingering knee concerns, but because of a strategic plan to ease him back into a full workload.
“They’re going to take into account my rep range probably until halfway through the season,” Kraft said. “And then they’re going to just pat me on the ass and send me out there and send me to the wolves.”
The type of approach the Packers need on offense
The Packers and Kraft are currently negotiating a contract extension, and there’s an expectation that he will become one of the highest-paid tight ends in NFL history. His figure might surpass $20 million per year. Even without that extension in place, Kraft has been willing to train and practice, including team activities, throughout the process. His comments after Sunday’s practice captured that mindset.
“I’ll always put it back on the team,” Kraft added. “Every one of these guys comes in here. This is a violent sport and we risk life and limb. Guys have to medically retire from this [expletive]. They’re banging heads. They’ve got messed up necks, backs. How many times can you blow a knee out? Guys keep fighting and clawing to come back into this locker room, and that’s the reason I do it. I want to leave a legacy on this sport as a whole. I want my children to see the lengths I would go to to fight for something I love, and I think I have it right here in the G.”
Kraft’s return to team drills removes the biggest question mark hanging over the Packers’ offense entering the season. The tight end established himself as one of the most productive pass-catchers in the league before the injury, and his presence in the lineup elevates the offensive ceiling.
The coaching staff’s plan to manage his reps through the first half of the season is a cautious approach, but it also suggests confidence that Kraft can ramp up to a full workload when it matters most. By midseason, Green Bay should have its top offensive weapon operating without restrictions.
