Back in the Saddle: Tucker Kraft Activated From PUP List, Set to Rejoin Packers at Practice
The 25-year-old tight end won't participate in team drills yet, but Friday marks a massive step in his recovery from a torn ACL.
GREEN BAY, Wis. — It took just two practices before the Green Bay Packers had the privilege of seeing their otherworldly tight end reconvene with the rest of his team.
Head coach Matt LaFleur confirmed on Friday that Tucker Kraft, who opened training camp on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list, is going to be activated. The 25-year-old is on the heels of sustaining a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in the Nov. 2 loss to the Carolina Panthers last season.
The Packers are going to err on the side of caution when it comes to Kraft’s return. He won’t participate in 11-on-11 team drills throughout practice, but he’ll be involved in individual periods, which is still a monumental step in his recovery.
“We’ll just kind of get him back ingrained into the process and into individual,” LaFleur said. “What’s great is, when they do come off PUP, now he can partake in some of the walkthrough periods, especially that we do in the evenings. So, just to get him back, hearing the call, lining up, and just going through that.”
The Packers have a strict nine-month rule for players returning from ACL injuries; the clock starts after they undergo surgery. They’ll have to surpass that benchmark before they’re eligible to practice again, but Kraft’s case appears to be a little bit of an anomaly. He’s still a couple of days away from the nine-month anniversary of his injury, let alone when he went under the knife.
The rule could apply to players practicing in an 11-on-11 capacity. Regardless, general manager Brian Gutekunst confirmed on Wednesday that Kraft is still right around eight-and-a-half months post-surgery.
“We want to be protective,” Gutekunst said before the inaugural practice of camp. “He’s coming off a major injury, and he’s still at that eight-and-a-half month mark. But the way he looks, you’d think he’s ready to go, because when you see him out there—he’s a little bit like Christian [Watson]; they look really good early.
“There’s a lot of science behind the nine-month mark, so we’ll be cautious.”
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.
Kraft, a third-round pick of the Packers in 2023, had appeared in all 42 career regular-season games prior to his injury, starting 33 of them. Through eight games last season, he recorded 32 receptions for 489 yards and six touchdowns, including two 120-plus-yard performances.