GREEN BAY, Wis. — It’s been a summer of milestones for Tucker Kraft.
The Green Bay Packers’ do-it-all tight end has been fighting tooth and nail to return from the torn anterior cruciate ligament that prematurely cut his 2025 campaign short. If he had a four-item checklist, he’s halfway through it.
The first box he can check was his return to practice on July 31—his first time back on the field since his Nov. 2 injury. He had only missed the first pair of practices to begin training camp before returning and participating in individual drills.
The next can be considered a colossal leap in the right direction. After spending the last two weeks being eased back into action, Kraft was cleared by the Packers’ medical staff to participate in the 11-on-11 portion of Sunday’s practice.
287 days after his injury, Kraft was back like he never left. He brought in four receptions for 41 yards during the team period, including a 12-yard touchdown on a slant route that culminated with him spiking the ball in the end zone to a chorus of applause.
“It was bittersweet, that’s for sure,” Kraft said in the locker room after practice. “It felt good getting my hands on my teammates, making contact again, surviving the ground through the catch, and just competing.”
Two items remain on the list for Kraft: A long-term contract extension from the Packers, and certainty that he’ll be in the starting lineup for the Sept. 13 regular-season opener against the Minnesota Vikings. Both of which should be checked off at some point within the next four weeks.
When asked if he would have a new deal by that point, Kraft said, “That’s the goal."
“I think we’re a different team when I’m out on the field,” he continued. “I think that’s obvious. I think everyone in this organization, every fan, knows that, without sounding arrogant. I think there’s a different feel to the offense when I’m out there. The plan—I’ve kind of gone through life just taking things blow-by-blow, assuming things will always just work out in the end. For me, the preparation, the sacrifices I’ve made to be here right now—I’m just going to continue to assume it’s all going to work out for me.”
Kraft’s willingness to practice—and the Packers’ willingness to let him, really—could be an indicator that he’s close to signing the long-awaited contract extension with the franchise. Team brass has been working closely with Kraft’s representation, Jack Bechta of JB Sports, over the last several months. Kraft would be the sixth player issued a contract extension by the Packers since the start of the offseason, joining wide receivers Christian Watson and Jayden Reed, starting center Sean Rhyan, linebacker Isaiah McDuffie, and defensive lineman Devonte Wyatt.
It’s a risk for any player, let alone one as imperative to success as Kraft, to practice and put himself in harm’s way without the luxury of long-term security. But holding out until the money is in his pocket was never a thought that crossed Kraft’s mind.
“I’ll always put it back on the team,” Kraft said. “Every one of these guys comes in here—this is a violent sport. We risk life and limb. Guys have to medically retire; 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.
“There’s other attributes, too—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.’”
Assuming Kraft continues to progress—and he’s able to convince general manager Brian Gutekunst along with the Packers’ medical staff—there’s a chance he’ll even be able to participate in the Aug. 26 joint practice with the Arizona Cardinals. Kraft likely won’t play in any of the two remaining preseason games, but a joint practice is at least in a controlled environment where his workload and participation on a down-to-down basis can be managed.
Kraft said that he doesn’t know the Packers’ plan for him yet, but he’s anticipating having his snap count controlled in some capacity for at least the first half of the season. That could mean that he’ll play anywhere from 30 to 45 snaps in a game—he averaged 54.8 snaps per game through eight weeks last season. It’s too early to say.
Across those eight games, he recorded 32 receptions for 489 yards and six touchdowns, including two 120-plus-yard performances. He was the only tight end in the league with at least 30 receptions, more than 475 receiving yards, and at least six touchdowns while averaging 15-plus yards per catch. Kraft became the fifth tight end since the 1970 merger to eclipse those marks.
It only makes sense that the Packers would err on the side of caution. There were points last season where Kraft essentially was the entirety of their offense—not just as a receiving threat, but creating lanes in the running game, too.
“They’re going to take into account my rep range probably until halfway through the season,” said Kraft. “Then they’re going to pat me on the ass and send me out to the wolves.
“How this offense is, I’m going to get as comfortable as I can playing those reps in the games I was playing previously. Those games when I was, you know, 50 to 60 reps, 85 against the Cowboys in overtime. It’s just—the more you can do, all the hats I can wear in the offense, I want to bring everything to the table.”
Lot to be excited for this year with Kraft.