The Tucker Kraft ACL tear dealt the Packers a tough blow, though the timing of the fast-emerging tight end’s setback does open the door for a potential emergency addition.
Not known as an especially aggressive team in terms of outside acquisitions, the Packers have changed their stripes to a degree under Brian Gutekunst. Josh Jacobs and Xavier McKinney arrived via big-ticket free agency accords last year, with Aaron Banks and Nate Hobbs following suit this offseason. The Micah Parsons trade brought a considerable swerve from the Packers as well, but it appears more likely than not Gutekunst will call it a day after that Parsons blockbuster.
Green Bay is likely to stand pat at the deadline with respect to a tight end pickup, CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones notes. The Pack already roster Luke Musgrave, drafted ahead of Kraft in 2023, and he figures to be given more run for the contending team.
Musgrave arrived as the No. 42 overall pick out of Oregon State in 2023, and his rookie season included nine starts. Musgrave tallied 34 receptions for 352 yards in Year 1, but injuries began to intervene early in his career. A lacerated kidney required a hospital trip and then an IR stay during the 2023 season, and an ankle injury sustained during the ’24 season’s first half hindered his development — while also allowing a quicker Kraft emergence. As Musgrave played only seven games last season, Kraft took off and usurped him as Green Bay’s top TE target.
This season, Musgrave has operated as a clear second banana to Kraft at the position. In eight games, he has nine catches for 88 yards. But a role uptick is almost certainly coming. The Packers have already seen Christian Watson return from his ACL tear, and Jayden Reed is eligible to be activated from IR. Both players, along with Matthew Golden, figure to be part of the Pack’s collective Kraft replacement effort.
The Browns have a potentially attainable piece at tight end, with David Njoku in a contract year. The right offer could convince Cleveland to move on, especially with third-round rookie Harold Fannin playing well. It will be interesting to see if the Browns pull the trigger on a player who may not be part of the team’s future, but a fire sale is not viewed as likely in Cleveland. And the Packers appear set to retool from within.