Tucker Kraft Still Has Plenty Of Room To Grow

After stepping into a larger role when Luke Musgrave went down with kidney and ankle injuries in 2023, Tucker Kraft finished the season strong, catching at least three passes in each of the final six regular-season games. He also found the end zone in the Green Bay Packers’ 24-21 Divisional Round loss to the San Francisco 49ers.

Kraft carried that momentum into 2024, catching 55 passes on 70 targets for 733 yards and seven touchdowns, becoming one of Jordan Love’s most reliable weapons. Furthermore, he was the first Packers tight end to record more than 300 receiving yards after the catch in a single season since Jermichael Finley in 2009.

By doing so, Kraft placed himself in rare territory for a young tight end. He became just the fourth player at the position to post at least 80 receptions, 1,000 receiving yards, nine touchdowns, and average 13 yards per catch over his first two seasons. The only others to reach that mark are Rob Gronkowski, Mark Andrews, and Hunter Henry – a group that has combined for five All-Pro honors and five Pro Bowl selections.

“He’s obviously had a lot of opportunity (but) just how he goes about it, it doesn’t surprise me that it manifests itself on the field,” tight ends coach John Dunn said last year regarding Kraft.

“He wants to be great in every area. We talk about all three phases, and all three are critically important for our position,” he added. “You’re talking about run blocking, you’re talking about pass blocking, you’re talking about obviously running routes and … ball production.”

Heading into 2025, there was a consensus within Green Bay’s coaching staff that Kraft needed to be more involved. They understood that when the ball is in his hands, his presence is felt throughout the offense.

“100%, and I think that’s on us to make sure we find him and feature him,” Matt LaFleur said after the 2024 season. “Because when he gets the ball in his hands, you feel him. So, if there’s an area that we gotta do a better job on, I would say featuring the tight end.”

Kraft is off to a strong start in his 2025 campaign. Through four games, he has caught 16 passes on 19 targets for 225 yards and two touchdowns. He recorded the first 100-yard receiving game of his career in Week 2 against the Washington Commanders, catching all six of his targets for 124 yards and a touchdown.

“That’s who Tuck is every day,” Love said following the game. “He’s very consistent right now. I don’t think it’s a secret for him to go out there and ball like he does. … It’s something that we just have to keep building on with him, but Tuck is a guy who’s going to have a big year.”

Kraft is tied with Romeo Doubs for the team lead in targets at 19 apiece, but he leads Green Bay in receptions and receiving yards. The Packers are featuring him in the offense, yet he is the kind of talent who needs the ball at least eight times per game. Right now, he’s only averaging 4.75 catches per game — roughly one reception per quarter — and that’s far too low.

In the first month of the season, Kraft lined up in-line more than any other starting tight end, doing so on 60% of his snaps. He also led all qualifying tight ends in yards per catch and averaged 9.9 yards after the catch per reception, the highest among his peers and well ahead of Tyler Warren, who was the next closest at 7.9.

Entering Week 6, Kraft ranked eighth among tight ends with at least 50 snaps in receiving yards, second in yards after the catch, seventh in total EPA generated, and sixth in yards per route run. Kraft has accomplished all of that in an offense that spreads the ball around. He hasn’t been the focal point, so just imagine how much more productive he could be if the Packers built their offense around him as the clear No. 1 option.

One could argue that Green Bay’s offense benefits from keeping defenses guessing about who will get the ball, especially in the red zone. Right now, Romeo Doubs serves as that reliable option, but Kraft has proven time and again that he can also be that guy. He’s already among the top tight ends in the league, and he still has plenty of room to grow.