The Green Bay Packers saw a new weapon emerge in Week 2, and his name was Tucker Kraft. Packers fans were already bullish on the third-year tight end after he put up 50 catches for 707 yards and seven touchdowns last season. But he put himself on the national radar when he caught six passes for 124 yards and a touchdown during a Week 2 win over the Washington Commanders.
With that, Packers fans are hoping Kraft and Jordan Love have established a connection as strong as macaroni and cheese. But the hype train pumped the brakes when a report emerged that Kraft suffered a knee injury in Thursday’s practice. While his presence on the injury report made Packers fans hold their breath, Kraft indicated that he’ll be OK and could still play Sunday against the Cleveland Browns.
Tucker Kraft Could Play in Week 3 Despite Knee Injury
The Athletic’s Matt Schneidman and Dianna Russini reported on Thursday night that Kraft only suffered a “tweak” in Thursday’s practice and the issue isn’t expected to sideline him long. Schneidman also added that Kraft could still take the field on Sunday, but how Kraft feels on Friday afternoon will be important to his status.
The Packers will give an official word on Kraft’s injury when Matt LaFleur speaks to the media and the team releases its final injury report on Friday. But even if Kraft misses a game or two, it’s a better alternative to what had been running through the minds of fans on Thursday afternoon.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that Kraft “got a little scare but was all good” after tests for the injury, but it was unknown how much time Kraft would miss, if any, due to the severity of the injury. The flip side is that the sooner Kraft comes back, the better the Packers' offense will be. Wide receiver Jayden Reed is out for the next six to eight weeks with a broken collarbone suffered in Week 2, and left guard Aaron Banks (groin), cornerback Nate Hobbs (knee), running back Josh Jacobs (ankle), cornerback Bo Melton (shoulder), and right tackle Zach Tom (oblique) were all limited in Thursday’s practice.
With a 2-0 start and a trip to visit the 0-2 Browns on Sunday, the Packers have some wiggle room in the standings. Another win on Sunday could give them more of an advantage and give Kraft the time he needs to get back into the lineup.